Avatar
by rebornhoneybee
Summary: Awakened around 2185, 1st Lt. Renae Parker is called upon by the Alliance Military to help defend the galaxy as an Avatar named Chloe Shepard. She falls for a young marine named Kaidan Alenko and defeats the Reapers. Upon losing Chloe, Lt. James Vega helps Renae realize her own worth, but will his love repair her heart and be enough to stop her from losing herself forever?
1. Prologue: Goodbye

_**Disclaimer: Bioware owns the Mass Effect franchise and all of its characters. Renae is mine.**_

_**The bulk of this story takes place post ME3. Bear with me as with run the gauntlet that is games 1 - 3. I have plans to make them a separate, companion story later on. Feedback is readily appreciated! This is my first story, so constructive criticism is appreciated.**_

_**Update 11/28: The original prologue was short and didn't do justice by Dewayne Knight. Considering he is based on my husband, you can guess his reaction to finding out how long he didn't last. Thus, in ode to my husband, the prologue has been revamped. **__** Love you, baby.**_

The picture within the frame was barely eight years old, but to First Lieutenant Renae Parker, it was only yesterday. A fair-skinned woman with long, blonde hair and emerald green eyes stood with her arm wrapped around what appeared to be her younger sister. The junior woman had deep blue eyes, highlighted by flecks of gold, and shoulder-length blonde hair. Both had full, dusty-rose lips and rosy cheeks, accentuated by the large smiles that caused even their eyes to sparkle. Gingerly, Renae picked up the picture frame and removed the backing. Her mother's handwriting stared back at her.

_Jean & Renae Parker, Shepard Family Reunion 2000, Greer's Ferry Lake, Heber Springs, AR._

Her eyes watered at the familiar script. "I miss you, Mom." It had been six years since her mother had lost her battle with cancer. The photograph she held had been taken only months prior to Jean's diagnosis. Her lips twitched slightly to the side at her mother's memory. "I wish you were here…I feel horrible about leaving Dad by himself this way, but in my soul, it just feels right…like this is the path I'm supposed to take." She sat on the edge of her bed and looked next to her. An empty, black duffel bag lay beside her. Her comforter was littered with various sets of clothing, books, electronic storage devices, and pictures. Renae pursed her lips. She'd hoped to have finished packing already, but she was having a hard time convincing herself of what she couldn't live without. Packing had never really been her forte; especially with she had to narrow it down to just one bag. It was all they would allow her to bring along for Project Avatar.

Her iPhone chirped on the nightstand next to her bed. She glanced in its direction, and her eyes lit up upon catching the sender's name. _Dewayne!_ She grabbed her phone and hastily read the text.

_D. Knight: Hey, sweetness. How's the packing coming?_

A soft, half-smile formed along her lips. She knew he'd been packed for a few days now; she just hadn't found the time or so she told herself. In all honesty, she couldn't bear to make the final push to say goodbye and pack until now. Her mother had always told her she functioned best in the "eleventh hour". Her dad just called it procrastination. He never could understand how her military training had not corrected the habit, at least in her personal life. On the field, she was a precise machine; off the field was a whole other ball game. Not even Army Ranger School had changed it. She shook her head, smiling at the irony. At the very least, it had let her meet her best friend…her fiancé.

_R. Parker: Oh…It goes. Mom's probably having a good laugh at my expense from heaven. She knows I inherited this from her._

_D. Knight: Lol! Any word from your dad yet?_

She frowned. Her father wasn't exactly excited to see her leave, especially given the permanency of this next post.

_R. Parker: I haven't seen him today. He's supposed to stop by on his way home soon though. :/ Are we still having dinner over here tonight?_

_D. Knight: Wouldn't miss it for the world.. See you later tonight, beautiful._

_R. Parker: Aye, aye, Captain. ;)_

_D. Knight: Cheeky, LT :P ttyl, baby_

Her doorbell chiming caused Renae to startle slightly. Silently, she rose and made her way to the living room of her one bedroom apartment. Opening the door revealed a rather stoic Marcus Parker. She smiled softly at her father's presence. His deep brown eyes held flecks of hunter green. Dark brown hair, speckled lightly with gray, feathered back over his forehead, leading back to a long ponytail. His hesitant smile told her what was coming. _We knew this wasn't going to be easy. Suck it up, cupcake. _She stood back, and motioned inward toward her living room. "Come in, Dad. Have a seat on the couch." He brushed past her lightly before settling onto the couch near the door. "Do you want something to drink? I've got…oh. I've got some water." She grinned sheepishly. "Forgot I already put most of the food I had into your fridge."

His lips pressed into a forced smile. "Sure, baby girl. Water's fine."

Turning on her heel, Renae spun and headed toward the kitchen. "I hope plastic cups are ok. I already gave away most of my dishes…" She left off what they both already know…_because I won't be here to use them anymore._

A soft chuckle floated through the house. "That's fine."

She cringed slightly. Nobody ever meant it when they said that word. Fine was akin to every other four letter word she knew. She exhaled softly, bracing herself for what wouldn't be a comfortable goodbye. She flitted back into the living room and handed a drink to her father. He raised his glass and nodded before taking a sip. She watched tentatively. _How am I nervous? This is my dad! I should not be afraid to talk to him. _

His features set into a calm, stare before he spoke. "Renae, I…"

Without thinking, she blurted out what she'd been working up all day. "Dad…I know what you're going to say, but you know I have to do this…I need to do this."

He paused, taken aback by her sudden outburst. His eyes saddened as he continued to speak. "Really, honey, you don't have to do this…There are other candidates we can use." Dr. Marcus Parker stared into the eyes of his only child. Everything about him gave off the air of slight desperation, hoping she would listen to him. Unfortunately, she'd taken her stubborn tendencies from both her parents, so changing her mind required what they'd call an act of God.

Her lips twinged slightly, tugging toward the right corner of her mouth. She could see the emotional walls he'd put up when her mother died, and they were cracking. He was visibly falling apart in front of her. _He's not disappointed…just upset. Don't take it personally. _Setting her glass on the coffee table, she reached over and placed her hands around his, where they held his glass. She lifted her face to look him in the eye. "Dad, it'll be fine." We both know the risks involved and have gone over them hundreds of times." Her eyes searched his, finding them glossy, yet irked. "What else is it? Something's under your skin."

His eyes steeled briefly, bracing against the coming rebuttal. "You're sure this isn't about him?"

Renae froze dead in her spot. _Really, Dad? Ouch!_ Her eyes narrowed only for a moment. She raised her eyebrows slightly. Her voice was calm, yet stern. "Dad, you raised me to be myself…and not let anyone else define that for me. This choice was mine and mine alone. Aren't you at least proud that I'm striving to make a difference?"

Marcus raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Renae, you make a difference right here. You're an Army Ranger for Christ's sake. You've dedicated years of your life to serving your country and protecting others. How could I be any less than proud?" His eyes softened as he dropped her hands before gripping her shoulders. "You are my bucket list, my lifelong goal to fulfill before I die. You are a more amazing daughter than I could have ever asked for. Don't ever doubt that. I…I only want what's best for you."

She exhaled slowly before looking up to meet his eyes. "And if this is what's best?"

He swallowed harshly. "I'm still not sure it is."

She slid forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging her father tightly. "Daddy, I love you. Don't ever forget that." She held still, realizing her father was trying to hold back tears. Allowing him to save face was the least she could do. Once his slight trembles halted, she pulled back and looked him in the eye. "Daddy, you know they need me. Project Avatar asked for the best of the best for their soldier division. If I was any less than that, you'd have turned down my application yourself." She gently removed the cup from his hands before sliding closer to her dad on the couch. Taking his hands between her own, she continued. "…and Dewayne needs me, too. I can't just abandon the man I'm going to marry." Her eyes sparkled as his name left her lips.

"I know, and I'm not telling you to abandon the man. He was a very supportive when your mother died; he's a good man. I just, I don't see why if you're so keen on starting a family that you want to join the program."

Renae sighed. She knew her father was making a valid point. They hadn't been engaged very long. Honestly, most of their relationship felt like a whirlwind to her. They'd met during Ranger School. She chuckled as her thoughts drifted back to that day. "You know, Dad. If I wasn't so much like Mom, I'd never have met him."

Marcus shook his head and laughed. "You two were always good shots. Marcus told me that he and a buddy had tried to 'teach' you how to snipe after they'd spent nearly an hour trying to adjust that scope." He grinned broadly at his daughter. "Did you really have to hit a bulls eye and make them look bad?"

She winked at him. "Mom wouldn't have let me settle for less, and you know it. They had it coming with all their smack talk. Besides," she raised her eyebrows appraisingly, "I made him ask me for over a week before I let him take me out." She smiled as she felt her father's thumb rub lightly over her hand. "Dad, he and I both worked really hard to become Rangers. We fight every day to protect those that we love…so that they can enjoy their lives. Avatar will let us do that on a larger scale. It's what we were born to do." She smiled warmly and looked back at her father. She knew that as an adult, she was free to make her own decisions, but he'd made it abundantly clear that he felt she was throwing her life away by joining the Avatar program. Her calm voice snapped his eyes back to hers. "Besides, Dad, you designed the program. Who knows? Maybe I'll actually get to see the stars in person someday. I could be the next Captain Picard!" Her burst of laughter seemed genuine, but she was really hoping it would distract both her father and herself from how nervous she was beginning to feel.

He smiled briefly. "Honey, that would make me so proud. I just don't know if you realize what you're getting yourself into. Project Avatar requires that candidates be placed into cryogenic containment. They won't need you all at once, remember? There may only be one to two people awake and operating Avatars at a time…and then only if they're needed. Best case scenario is that they wake you up in 50 years without needing you. There's no guarantee that you and Dewayne will be out at the same time…or that I'll even be here still." He paused, trying to hold himself together as he spoke. "Are you really willing to give up everything you have to do this?"

Renae grit her teeth. She knew the risks; after all, she was the daughter of the man heading the project. "Dad, I owe it to the guys in my unit who found that capsule. You know Johnson was never the same after he viewed it. The man's been stuck in the psych ward ever sense." Second Lieutenant Franklin Johnson had been a scientist in her original squad. He had been a part of the excavation team that found ground zero…the artifact. "That poor bastard was subjected to some of the intense visions of a doomsday scenario ever created. The data on that disk was so jumbled that it fried his brain. He's more idled than any of the boys I know suffering from PTSD." Her eyes welled up with tears. "Dad, if the data on that disk is so bad that you were brought in from Air Force R&D to create a counter-terror plan, then this sacrifice…this is worth it. I owe it to Johnson and to anyone else who's life I can save by doing this. It's bigger than me…"She hung her head, causing her long blonde hair to fall in curtains around her face.

Marcus leaned forward and wrapped his arms around his daughter's shoulders. He could feel the shudders rolling through her form. She was so compassionate and giving toward others. They were traits instilled early on into her character. His lips formed a soft half-smile. This lay heavy on her spirit and his as well, but every fiber of her being poured out the desire to protect those she cared about. This was one more way of her protecting him. He sighed, "You always were my little Trekkie," he said softly. "I just…I don't know if I'm ready to let my little girl go."

"Daddy…" Leaning back, she closed her eyes briefly, trying to hold back the onslaught of tears she could feel developing. She was honestly conflicted about leaving him behind. When she'd volunteered, she'd been hyped up about the idea. When they'd chosen her, she'd been downright euphoric. She couldn't wait to tell her dad; she'd thought he would be elated. To her dismay, he had been mortified and had spent days arguing the risks she was taking, much like they were today. Their conversations had been tense and confrontational to say the least. It was here, in the eleventh hour, that she could feel him finally coming around. Unfortunately, his initial and underlying resistance was beginning to eat away at her resolve. If she did this, she'd honestly be leaving him alone for an infinite amount of time. There was no guarantee that anyone she knew would still be alive when they woke her from cryo. She chewed on the corner of her lip and took a shaky breath.

"Reni," he tearfully began, "I know you are fully capable of doing this…and know that I'm proud of you regardless what you choose." He paused, giving her a half-smile. "You've grown into a strong, intelligent, and independent woman. Your mother would've been proud,…and she would never forgive me if I held you back. If this is truly what you need to do, then as much as it pains me, I'll let you go with my blessing."

Her deep blue eyes watered at the use of her mother's pet name for her. Losing her in 2008 had nearly destroyed her will to push back at life. It had rocked her world more than any obstacle she'd faced previously. The only solace she'd found had been her father and Dewayne, and now she was practically saying goodbye to her dad, and he was right; she didn't really know the next time she'd see Dewayne after tonight. "Daddy, thank you. Knowing that you support me in this means everything…and you know I love you; I always will."

"And I love you, sweetheart. Be brave…and stay safe."

"I will." Renae hoped she could keep her word. Her iPhone chimed from where she'd left it back in her bedroom. She glanced toward the clock on the wall and then back at her father. It was 6pm; he was normally home long before now. "I'm betting the dogs are hungry."

He chuckled. "That time already, huh? I don't know how I'm going to remember to feed and walk them without you around to remind me all the time, Reni." He rose from the couch. "I guess I'll see you at headquarters in the morning." Marcus turned to leave, but froze when she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. He swallowed harshly before returning her embrace. "Love you, kiddo."

"Love you, too, Daddy." She smiled up at him through glossy eyes. "See you in the morning."

He nodded and headed out the door. Renae closed it behind him and slid to the floor as the dam holding back her tears broke. _I've been prepping myself for this for weeks now. I'm a US Army Ranger. I can do this. _She exhaled slowly, trying to calm herself, when her phone chimed a second time. "Geeze! I'm coming already; keep your pants on."She returned to her room and retrieved her phone from the bed. "What do you want…oh." She smiled as she saw the message across the screen.

_D. Knight: Everything go ok with Dad? _

_R. Parker: Not great, but better than expected. You still coming by?_

_D. Knight: Definitely! Gotta do it while I still can, beautiful. I'll see you in an hour._

_R. Parker: Remember, we've got to be there at 0500, and I've got to finish packing. _

_D. Knight: It's ok. I'll help. See you soon, baby. _

_R. Parker: See you soon, handsome._

Finally alone with her thoughts, Renae sat on her bed and felt a wave of emotions wash over her again. She really was about to say goodbye to everyone and everything she'd ever known…all for the sake of the greater good. It was a scary feeling. She didn't know when they'd wake her. She only knew tonight was her last shot to say goodbye to her loved ones. She needed to find a way to really enjoy this evening and let go of her worry. She glanced at the picture of her and her mother that she'd placed on the bed earlier. "Keep an eye out for me, Mom. What am I missing?" Her eyes flitted about the room and came to rest on the book beside her bed. "Yeah, yeah. I know." She chuckled, knowing this was her mom's way of having the last word. "Fine, Mom. I'll take it with me, but only if you come, too." Gingerly, she opened her copy of _The Lord of the Rings_ by J. R. R. Tolkien and placed her mother's picture inside, where she'd previously bent a page for a bookmark. Satisfied, she tucked the book into her duffle bag. Looking across the neat piles on her bed, she exhaled slowly, recognizing the task at hand. "There, now I just have to pack the rest of it." She chuckled softly. "Maybe when I wake up, I won't be such a procrastinator anymore." She glanced around. "Ah…who am I kidding? _Dios mío_, this is gonna be a long night!_"_

* * *

It was in the dark that she felt the most alone, even in a room full of people. Tonight was no exception. The "what ifs" she'd slain during the day came back with vengeance during the night. Sure, she'd been busy for a great part of the evening. It took Dewayne helping her narrow down what she would and would not take with her to finally finish packing. They'd cooked dinner together and watched _The Lion _King; no matter how old they got, that movie was still one of their favorites. However, it'd only detoured her familiar anxiety she felt at night for so long. Even now, with him spooned tightly flush against her back, sleep eluded her. She opened her eyes and stared out the window beside her bed. She'd always loved the stars. Her lips twinged into a brief half-smile. This might be the last time she saw them from this point of view. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she took in what she was giving up. A slight rustle behind her revealed she wasn't the only one awake.

"Reni, what's wrong?"

She closed her eyes and murmured happily as he wrapped his arm tightly around her waist. "Can't sleep." Despite her forced happy tone, a single tear slid down her cheek.

Dewayne lightly placed a kiss on the back of her head. She shuddered slightly, trying to hold herself together. He tugged gently at her side, trying to get her to roll over. "Hey, talk to me."

She rolled slightly and tried to tuck her head below his chin, but he was faster. Dewayne lifted her eyes to meet his. He smiled, though his eyes were filled with concern. "Come on, pretty lady. What is it?"

Exasperated, she closed her eyes momentarily before answering. "I know we're doing the right thing, and it's what I want to do,…but I'm beginning to realize what I'm going to miss."

Using his thumb, Dewayne gently wiped a stray tear from her cheek. "It's ok to have second thoughts. I know I have."

Her blue-gold eyes widened unexpectedly. "You have?"

He smiled and chuckled softly. "Why wouldn't I?"

Her nose crinkled in frustration. She'd been putting him up on a pedestal, as though he were impervious to feeling this way. She'd never even considered that he might. "I…uhm…"

His ice blue eyes twinkled in the pale light cascading in from her window. "We're only human. Don't forget that, beautiful." He eyed her frame in a way that still brought a blush to her cheeks.

_I don't know the next time I'll get to see him look at me like this._ She shuddered as his fingertips lightly stroked her back. She could feel the goose-bumps form along the path he traced. Returning the gesture, she reached up, tracing her fingers along an invisible path starting from his collar bone. Gingerly, she tucked her head just under his chin and placed a soft kiss on his chest. She felt his hips roll slightly once her fingertips reached the top of his pajama pants. Renae smirked against his skin before rolling her hips into him.

His breathing quickened as he shuddered from the contact. "Reni…"

Angling her head up slightly, she nipped at the base of his neck. She shivered as his groan reached her ears. Pushing further, her fingertips dipped just below the waist of his already low hanging pants. She froze when his hand gripped her wrist. Pulling back, she raised her eyes to meet his. "What?"

Dewayne's eyes burned heatedly. He raised an eyebrow appreciatively as his eyes roamed her form. A dark blue negligée left the valley between her breasts exposed, and the light from her window cast a pale glow across her skin. Her full lips pouted at him, while her eyes screamed hungrily, echoing his own growing want. "God, you're beautiful." A deep blush flushed along her cheeks. Letting go of her wrist, he sat up and pushed Renae back against the bed. She raised an eyebrow questioningly. He smirked. "For once, little Miss Control Freak, just let me drive, ok?" She let out a slight oomph of surprise as he grabbed her hands and using his right hand, pinned them together above her head. Dewayne shifted, stretching out his body along her left side and turned her face toward him. As she opened her mouth to protest, his lips hungrily crashed against hers. He shuddered as she licked along his lower lip, beckoning him into an all too familiar dance.

She moaned against the feel of his lips; even more so when his tongue wantonly caressed hers. A jolt of need flooded her body, straight down to her core. Her thighs pressed tightly together, trying to further the sensation. She whimpered when he pulled back far too soon for her liking. "What are you…uhhhhh." She groaned as his teeth nipped along her collarbone. "Oh God…Harder, baby." Her hips rolled when his left hand cupped her breast through her nightgown and gently began rolling her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Thinking he might be distracted, she tugged her hands, trying to free them. His right hand tightened around her wrists.

His words kissed along her skin. "Not so fast. I'm not done with you yet." She tugged again. He raised his head from along her neck and eyed her. Her eyes narrowed heatedly as she arched her eyebrows in an unspoken challenge

He smirked. "What…no comeback? I didn't think that was possible from you." He leaned in closer until he could feel her breath caressing his lips. "Well?"

"Fuckin' tease…" She inhaled sharply as his lips encompassed her nipple through the fabric. "That's more like it."

Dewayne chuckled against her nightgown as he continued his ministrations on her aroused form. His left hand trailed below the blankets, grasping the edge of her gown where it lay barely along her hips. His fingertips brushed lightly against the apex at her thighs, causing her hips to roll in response. He growled in frustration at the fabric in his way. "I want these off."

"Well, if you'd let me go long enough to get undressed, I could…"

"Woman…just keep your hands to yourself for a minute." He narrowed his eyes briefly before winking at her. Letting go of her wrists, he pushed the blankets down to her toes, revealing the rest of her form. Rising up, he knelt between her legs. His hands gripped tightly along her hips, gripping the edges of her lacey boy-shorts. She readily lifted her hips, allowing him to pull the offending material down.

She hissed sharply as his nails scratched down her hips during the motion. She groaned aloud at the sensation. "More."

A low grumble of satisfaction emitted from his chest as he knelt down; brushing up her gown to bare her abdomen. He kissed lightly down the trail of pale, taunt skin until he reached her hips. Pushing himself backward, he lay along her bed, and lifted her knees until he could rest them across his shoulders. Hovering slightly, his breath barely flitted across her mound. He smirked to himself as he realized she was holding her breath. Gently, he flicked out his tongue, licking slowly from her core up to her sensitive bundle of nerves. He chuckled softly at the moan that flew from her lips.

What started as slow, gentle movements became more hurried and forceful as her breathing quickened and cries grew louder. Instinctively, she pressed her hands into his hair, grasping at the faint hints of curls there. Her hips rose slightly off the bed as he claimed her most sensitive area for himself. His right hand reached up and pushed her hips back down, trying to hold her still. There was something delicious about the sensations wreaking havoc on her body. She whimpered when his left hand tickled lightly along her folds. Her breathing hitched as two fingers pressed deeply into her core. She looked down, meeting his eyes peering up at her. "Stop holding back, Reni. I wanna hear you scream."

She shuddered at the feel of his breath against her, but fought to have the upper hand. "Make me."

Dewayne raised an eyebrow slightly at her challenge before licking heatedly along her slit. He smirked at the shudder that ran through her. "Just remember…you asked for it." His left hand quickened its pace against her. Her hands released his hair and cupped her breasts, rolling her nipples between her thumbs and forefingers.

Renae's eyes burned as she threw back her head in ecstasy. "Please." Her cries of "more," "harder," and "faster" filled the room as his fingers expertly worked away at her core. His lips suckled teasingly at her clit, rolling around her tiny nub at varying speeds. Her hips rose from the bed, pushing back against him as she came. Her whole body shuddered as she fell back into the bed.

He rose and wiped his chin on his shoulder before placing a kiss on her lips. Hungrily, she pushed him backward onto the bed. He fell back on his elbows and eyed her. She placed a finger against his lips. "My turn." Hastily, she pulled at his pants, tugging them down slightly. Grinning, he pushed them down to his ankles before kicking them aside. She grabbed a hair tie from her nightstand and hastily threw her long, blonde hair into a ponytail. She winked at him before sliding down on her hands and knees until her mouth hovered over his erection. He shuddered as her breath hit it. Flicking out her tongue, she ran it slowly over the tip of his shaft before dropping lower and licking up the underside. She grinned to herself as she felt him shake. _Payback's a bitch, baby._

He gasped as she unexpectedly took his entire length in her mouth. "Oh God…" His left hand gripped the sheets as she picked up tempo. He lightly pressed his right hand against the back of her head and gripped her ponytail loosely as she swirled her tongue around him. He tensed, feeling a familiar pressure building too quickly. "Reni, stop."

Renae rose and eyed him. Her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Why?"

"Because." He pulled her up toward him. "I'm not leaving it this way." His eyes dimmed slightly, ringing of their upcoming separation.

She nodded in kind. Crawling forward, she rose, straddling her hips over him and placed on her arms on his shoulders. He groaned when he felt the heat from her core above him. Gently, she lowered herself onto him and sat back slightly. A soft murmur of appreciation rose from her chest as she began gyrating her hips slowly against him. Placing her left hand on his chest and her right hand on his thigh behind her for balance, she rolled her hips in a steady rhythm. She wobbled slightly when she felt his knees raise off the bed as Dewayne began thrusting back. She pressed down firmly on his knee. "Oh no you don't." She leaned forward until her lips brushed against his left earlobe. "It's my turn to make you scream." Her teeth sank into his shoulder, earning a low groan from him. "That's it, just let go." Her hips moved faster, rolling against his erection. Pulling the hair tie out, she shook her head as her hair fell down along her shoulders. She smirked to herself as his breathing quickened and his guttural moans grew louder.

His eyes widened as he took in her pale form in the moonlight. Her hair nearly shone like gold. Sweat slickened her skin, creating a glimmer like diamonds all along its surface. To him, she'd never looked more beautiful. Sitting up slightly, he wrapped his lips around her right breast. She whimpered as he suckled and licked it feverishly. His right arm wrapped around her, pulling her down toward him as he lay back onto the bed. "Faster." His nails raked heavily down her back, causing her body to bow into him as she gasped. His hands lowered, gripping her hips tightly to help increase her motions. Her insides clenched him in response as she moaned. Together they moved readily, making quick work of their already building tensions. Her high-pitched cries filled the room as she tightened greedily around him. The sensation was too much. The room exploded into stars and his skin was flush with sweat as he came. His heart nearly thudded in his chest from the feeling.

Reaching forward, Renae gripped his shoulders for balance. "Hey, look at me." She winked when his eyes met hers. "I love you." Her eyes twinkled in the dim light.

"Love you, too…always."

* * *

An older woman with grey hair approached the door. Her black and white uniform signaled to anyone nearby that she was with the Alliance. Her orange decorative stripes marked her years as a physician in the Marines. She nodded to a younger woman sitting beside a monitor. "Lieutenant, is she awake?" The young woman nodded in return.

"She should be judging by these readings." She gestured to the monitor before her. "However, I'm not showing any physical reactions. She hasn't moved an inch."

The doctor smiled. "I'll go talk to her. She's been under long enough that she may have a hard time coming around." Tapping a code into the omni-tool on her wrist, she unlocked the door to the observation room before it wooshed open. Quietly, she stepped up to the table surrounded by beeping monitors. A young woman in her late twenties lay along the table. Her pale skin looked nearly translucent under the current lighting, causing her veins to stand out more prominently. Her long blonde hair splayed along the table behind her. A thin sheet covered the woman's form. The doctor frowned as a slight shiver ran through the woman. Cold, she could fix. Being forgotten by those you trusted was something different altogether.

If it hadn't been for the Alliance reopening this old facility, they may not have found her. From the files the recon team had discovered, this woman had been in cryogenic containment for over a hundred years. The facility and its records revealed that others had been stored here before. Some of which, they found deceased; their pods having failed over time as power was drained from the facility's expansive generators. She was the only living specimen they'd found from something code named Project Avatar. Upon further looking into the data, the Alliance had immediately stationed the doctor here, along with a squad of N7 Research and Development soldiers, led by Miranda Lawson. The Alliance intended to wake her and see if the project could be salvaged, given its ties to a Prothean artifact.

The doctor's eyes flitted across the room. The woman had personal effects stored in a locker. So far, the only part they seemed able to use to try and stimulate the woman was music. She'd had an enormous hard drive full of audio files. Operative Lawson had spent quite a bit of time retrieving the data and putting it into a format that made it compatible with current technology. The music was playing softly in the room now, in hopes of pulling the woman back to reality. A soft murmur came from the form beside her. Her eyes brightened. "Finally." Gingerly, she placed her hand on top of the young woman's hand. "Miss Parker? Can you hear me?"

_Of course I can hear you. I'm not deaf, just blind apparently. Ha! Gives a whole new meaning to blinded by the light…not that anybody really ever knew the lyrics to that song. _Renae blinked rapidly, hoping to clear her vision despite the bright lights above her. Reaching up to try and cover her eyes, she found her movements to be sluggish. _What on earth? _She mumbled incoherently, and chuckled. _Boomhower! I hope Dewayne's awake now._ Her dad had always chided that man for how quietly he spoke around him, acquainting him to a cartoon character from "King of the Hill." Dewayne always swore that he never mumbled…even though he usually mumbled the reply.

The doctor looked on as the young woman slowly rubbed her eyes. Renae was giving the appearance of having woken the girl from a short, but deep nap with her reaction. It couldn't be further from the truth. She knew this had to be broken to Miss Parker slowly. "I'll take that as a yes. I'm Dr. Karin Chakwas with the Alliance Military. You've just been awoken from cryogenic status in correlation with Project Avatar." She paused, watching Renae's eyes focus as she absorbed what she was saying. "We need to do some minor tests to check on your physical and mental status. Is that ok?" Renae nodded slowly. "Good. I'm going to help you sit up, ok?"

Renae reached up and gripped Karin's hand, allowing the older woman to help her sit up. Dr. Chakwas helped her tuck to sheet around her, allowing the young woman to protect her modesty. Renae hung her legs over the edge of the table and allowed herself to be subjected to basic motor exams. Finally satisfied that Renae still had minor and major motor skills intact, Dr. Chakwas continued with the mental portion of her exam. "What is the last thing you remember before waking up here?"

Renae's eyes narrowed in concentration. Her mind flashed back to her last day back home. She hadn't forgotten the tense, yet tearful goodbye with her father. Her eyes sparkled momentarily as she savored her last night with Dewayne. _I doubt that's what she's asking about. She wants to know things related to the project._ She closed her eyes, hoping to find something useful. She remembered the physical exams to determine her body chemistry, the chill in the cryo room, and the feeling of apprehension as the cryo chamber turned on. Shivers raked through her body from the sensation. It definitely wasn't one of her better memories. Karin's warm hand on her own pulled her back to the present. Filtering out the personal moments, she replied, "I remember my goodbyes, physical exams, and being placed in the chamber. They said if they didn't need me, they'd wake me up around 2063." She halted. _Am I needed? How long has it been?_ "When they put me under, it was 2013. What year is it now?"

Dr. Chakwas quickly masked her surprise at the date. Everything their team had found showed that Miss Parker should've been awakened by now. Some candidates had even been released without ever being called upon by their former leaders. Most were released within a few years if not used. Only a few had been abandoned, including the young woman before her. Fortunately, her body had showed no signs of distress or ill effects from extended cryogenic containment during her pre-thaw scans; her basic field tests had confirmed the same. Unfortunately, Renae was still over one hundred years out of her time. There was no easy way to tell her the truth. Calmly, she placed her hand on the blonde's shoulders. "Miss Parker, it's December 2181…"

Shock flickered across Renae's face, but was quickly submerged beneath her calm façade. She slowed her breathing, trying to process how long she'd been gone. Realization flooded her…her family, friends, acquaintances…were all gone. Her eyes prickled as they began to gloss over. She remembered her dad's hugs, her dogs snuggled against her at bedtime, and Dewayne's jokes. Her eyes widened hopefully as she looked up at Karin. "Dewayne?...Did he make it? Is he here?"

Karin closed her eyes briefly before replying. She recognized the name from the records. Captain Dewayne Knight of the United States Army Rangers 7th Division had been engaged to Renae. She slowly keyed a command into the IV machine beside her and glanced at the line in the young woman's arm to confirm it was still intact. "Renae, our records show that his body wasn't compatible with the cryo-containment process, so he was denied entry into Phase One of the program. He didn't make it as far as you did; he would've been sent back home." She paused, letting the information settle in. "My dear, it's been so long that he's most likely passed away by now."

Renae's eyes widened in denial. Her knuckles turned a ghostly white as her hands tightly gripped the edge of the table. Her bottom lip quivered as she began to find her words again. "No, he can't be gone. He promised he'd wait for me. I can't be alone here…no…no…" Her voice rose higher and higher until it became an incoherent wail. The room was spinning. _This wasn't how things were supposed to happen._

Dr. Chakwas tapped the submission key for the IV to administer sedatives and wrapped her arms around the woman before her. "I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry." She held her still until the woman stopped shaking and then gently laid her back onto the table. "When you wake up, I promise, we'll help you through this. You won't be alone here. I can promise you this much." She tapped her omni-tool to open a channel. "Miranda, you may want to get in here. Parker's awake. We're going to need to reintroduce her to reality. She's going to need someone who's been hurt before…a companion."

A thick Australian accent echoed back through the room. "Aye aye, Doctor. I'm on my way."


	2. Chapter 1: Waking Up

_**Disclaimer: Bioware owns the Mass Effect franchise and all of its characters. Renae is mine.**_

_**The bulk of this story takes place post ME3. Bare with me as with run the gauntlet that is games 1 - 3. Feedback is readily appreciated! This is my first story, so constructive criticism is appreciated.**_

_**Also, I just realized that my well placed lines separating segments in Microsoft Word were not showing up here. *mumbles obscenities* I've re-uploaded every chapter to fix it.**_

_**Update 7/14: I went back in and filled in some back story that I had neglected to insert previously. My apologies. :)  
**_

"She's beautiful. You should be proud."

Renae smiled. Praise from Special Agent Miranda Lawson didn't come easy. She glanced over the "blueprint" before her. The body she'd designed was a petite, slender, young woman with sinewy muscles, chin length crimson hair, and soft freckles crossing the bridge of her pale nose below her emerald eyes. Renae frowned as she noticed the obvious contrast of her own voluptuous frame. Her deep blue eyes glanced warily at her reflection in the mirror on Miranda's office wall. Her long, blonde hair was haphazardly wrapped into a bun. Her nose crinkled slightly as she frowned. The action brought her growing migraine forward and caused her to wince in pain.

"You ok, kid?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. Just a headache coming on."

"Again? Did you ever talk to Chakwas about that?"

"Yeah…Part of it is just genetic. She said that she's worked with other biotic soldiers in the Alliance before on theirs, and may have some treatment options for me."

"Good. We need to get those under control, Renae. I'd hate for you to battle them in sequence."

Again with the nose crinkles. "If they let me in…"

"Renae…this avatar is all you. She needs a heart…a soul…a conscience. You know you're going in. I'll be here to monitor you. Hell, with the assignment I'm on, I should be able to join you in sequence later on." She smiled at Renae. The young blonde before her as like a surrogate little sister. Her heart ached as she remembered Orianna. Clearing her head, she continued, "You just need to prepare for the onslaught of information filling in your avatar's back story during your first load in. Don't lose yourself in there. Remember the parameters you're given or else the test is null and void…"

"Yes, mother."

Miranda smirked. The woman in front of her was quirky, sarcastic, and nothing less than brilliant; she just lacked confidence. Hopefully, Renae's training here would help her find her way. God knows the kid had thrown herself into this project headfirst, trying to ground herself into this reality…that she was here, and her past was gone. If that wasn't hard enough, Alliance Command had ordered she be exposed directly to eezo to hyper-cultivate biotics in her non-biotic body. She'd been thrown for a loop the first time she tried to toss Anderson a pencil, and instead threw a shockwave that blew him into the wall. The old man had laughed pretty hard over that. "Tough kid," he'd said. Renae had barely moved out of fear for days afterward, but she came around. Now, based on a combination of Asari instructors, vids, and private instruction with Miranda, "the kid" was a formidable Vanguard opponent. She was just as comfortable with a firearm as she was her biotics…and it showed. Other trainees were afraid to spar with her. "Maybe some of the N7 recruits would be better as opponents," thought Miranda before shaking her head. It was too soon. Besides, it would take a special partner to balance out Renae. She was a different breed, from a different time. The first time she'd spent a few hours in the vid chamber, having fighting styles readily transmitted into her mind, she had cracked a joke about a "bleeding affect". It'd taken Miranda a minute to get it out of her, but apparently, it was related to a 21st Century video game called Assassin's Creed. Quirky…yeah, that was a word for the kid. Miranda chuckled and took one last look over the avatar's stats. Renae shuffled her feet absently.

"Is something wrong, Miranda?"

"Nope. She's just missing a name now."

"The avatar needs a name?"

"We need some way to differentiate her from any future avatars we may create," Miranda smiled.

"Oh…" Renae's forehead scrunched as she racked her brain for a Science Fiction reference. Ever since she woke up, she'd tried to add a touch of familiarity to this new world. It felt less cold…less alien this way. Now aliens…meeting a few had been a trip. "I mean, whoever dreamed up Turians?...or Krogans? There are no Klingons here!" She chuckled softly, leaving Miranda raising a quizzical eyebrow.

"I've got it!"

"And?..."

"Chloe Shepard."

Miranda raised her eyebrow questioningly. "Anything I should know?"

Chloe had been Renae's favorite human character on a television show called Smallville. She was Superman's best friend growing up. Renae figured, surrounded by this new, alien culture, that she needed that human familiarity. Besides, Chloe was intelligent, compassionate, and always fought for the truth. Shepard had been her mother's maiden name. Perhaps bringing a touch of familiarity to this new world would keep her grounded that she was really Renae in there. "Shepard was my mother's maiden name. Chloe was someone that stood for truth. Both embodied compassion and intelligence. I hope to continue that legacy."

"Sounds good," Miranda checked her screen one last time. "I have Chloe Shepard as the following: colonist, war hero, and a vanguard. Anything else?"

"No," Renae smiled. "She's perfect."

"Good. Report tomorrow at 0800. Are you ready to go?"

"Boldly…where no one has gone before." A chuckle escaped Renae's lips. Again, Miranda looked puzzled. "You've really got to watch those old vids I loaned you, 'Randa."


	3. Chapter 2: Meeting Destiny

_**Bioware owns Mass Effect and its characters, but Renae and Chloe are my lovelies.**_

_**NOTE: I just realized that my well placed lines separating segments in Microsoft Word were not showing up here. *mumbles obscenities* I've re-uploaded the Prologue – Chapter 7 to fix it.**_

"Are you sure she's ready for this, Captain?"

Captain Anderson glanced over his shoulder at the raven haired woman behind him. Miranda seemed nervous, not unlike a lioness protecting her cub. She'd come a long way; at her start in the program, she'd been closed-off and only spoke with colleagues when necessary. Now she was showing protectiveness over the newest avatar candidate. He fought back a chuckle. "Agent Lawson, she will be fine. Renae's been training for this nearly since she woke up. Her father created the initial pilot program. She's aware of the risks."

Miranda snapped. "I didn't ask if she was aware of the risks. I asked if you were sure she was ready…sir."

Anderson smiled. "She's had you as a teacher. She's going to do fine. You'll be able to monitor both her and Shepard throughout the process, so don't worry. Besides, I wouldn't let her start if I didn't think she could handle this."

Miranda exhaled slowly. She knew he was right. Renae had thrown her heart and soul into training. At this point, it just came down to living out the program as Shepard. They would separate her from Shepard at times, in order to debrief her and help her retain her own identity….but for the most part, this new friend, a surrogate little sister, was going to be on her own. "If you think she can do it, ok."

"I know she can. She's going to be unstoppable. Just you wait and see."

* * *

Chloe Shepard opened her eyes for what felt like the first time that morning. There was no sun on her face like back on Mindor, no gunshots like on Akuze…just quiet. She tried to remember the night before, and realized she must still be in the underground base back in Vancouver. That's right. Today was the day she was scheduled to fly to the Citadel to meet Captain Anderson for her new assignment on the Normandy. She lazily glanced at the clock on her bedside table. 8:15 it read. Crap! She was running late. Renae had hoped she'd leave her habitual tardiness behind with this position… "Chloe," she corrected herself. "I'm Chloe now." Smiling, she rolled out of bed and walked over to the mirror to look at herself. The woman looking back at her had chin-length crimson hair that looked like she'd just come in from a tornado. "So much for looking like a dignified soldier, huh?" Her emerald eyes sparkled as she chuckled. Her pale skin nearly beamed in the glow of her bedside lamp. "No sun. Well at least that hasn't changed." She leaned closer to the mirror, hoping to find some semblance of her old self. Her nose crinkled in dissatisfaction. "No need to be unhappy; I designed this body. I could've made her look more like me, but I didn't." She glanced at the trunk she'd packed the night before, just in case she overslept. Inside were the few possessions she'd been allowed to keep: an old Bible from her youth, a deck of cards that was missing a Joker from her dad, some civilian clothes, and most precious of all, a book from her mom. Jean Parker had given her daughter a copy of "The Lord of the Rings" when she was still in high school. Renae still hadn't read it, but the inscription from her mom made it hard to let go of. Etched on the inside cover read, "You watched the movies, and broke the cardinal rule of always reading the book first. Read them, Reni. You can already quote parts of them. Love, Mom." She smiled at the comforts, before returning to look at the woman in the mirror. Perhaps there really was some of her here after all.

The next few hours were a blur. Chloe showered, got ready, and was out the door in record time. She had to keep from staring out the window like a child on her first space shuttle ride. The input data to create Shepard's backstory had prepared her for situations like this, but she still couldn't help think of how much her dad would've loved this. Once aboard the Citadel, life was a blur. Before she knew it, she was on the Normandy, and shaking hands with her new crew. She fought a grin when she shook Dr. Chakwas' hand. The doctor simply smiled and nodded her head in acknowledgement. However, it took every bit of her training to not simply make googly eyes at her new Lieutenant, Kaidan Alenko. The young man was Alliance through and through. "If he saluted any harder, he'd snap in two," she'd thought. "If this guy doesn't loosen up, this is going to be a long trip."

* * *

"Renae? Can you hear me?"

The blonde shook her head. "Renae? Someone had found her out? How?" She opened her eyes. She was back in the Alliance's base in Vancouver. In fact, she was still in the pod she had stepped into to synch up with Chloe. Determined to see who had pulled the plug, her eyes roamed the room until they came to settle on Captain Anderson.

"Captain, sir. Was the project a success?"

"Easy, kid," he smiled. "It's only the end of sequence one. We pulled you to get a status update and see how you were holding up."

"Oh." Relief covered her eyes. She'd really been enjoying her time aboard the Normandy. She was learning and experiencing so much, that it was hard to remember why she had ever had reservations against joining in the first place. That's right; her dad.

Anderson watched her in silence for a moment. The young woman appeared to be somewhere else, lost in a memory. He cleared his throat, and her eyes snapped to him. "I just wanted to discuss some of your choices with you before you return to active duty."

"Certainly. What did you have questions on, sir?"

"Your crew seemed to be…"

"A merry band of misfits?" she finished. She'd been determined to have as many aliens as she could have on her crew. "Sir, if I'm going to 'save the galaxy,' then anyone who has a stake in that galaxy deserves a chance to help. "

Anderson smiled; he hadn't expected that response, but liked it. "No ill intent, Agent Parker. I was going to say that they seemed diverse, but loyal. They really pulled together on the Battle of the Citadel. They're calling you a hero now. Udina can't seem to stop grinning over his Council seat."

Renae rolled her eyes defiantly. True, they had saved the Council, and beaten Saren and Sovereign at the Battle of the Citadel, but at what cost? Her eyes watered. "Ashley should've been here to see it with us." Pain scorched her face. "She was a damn good soldier, sir."

"Who gave her life to see this through," he added. "Ashley would be proud of you. She was a good friend. She gave her life to save Kaidan. It was above honorable."

Kaidan…now there was something unexpected. Renae hadn't thought she'd find love again after Dewayne, but here he was, Mr. Regulations himself. Kaidan had been so timid at first, but opened up. They had found support in one other: he with his stories from Brain Camp and Shepard's stories about Mindoir and Akuze. They had each other's backs; biotics had to stick together, right? He even kept his cool during Liara's awkward fascination with Chloe. Then, that night before Illos had been nothing short of heaven on a ship. Her mind flashed back to how peaceful it had been to fall asleep in his arms. "I wonder if he would ever like Renae and not just Chloe?" she thought.

"Renae, you saved a Rachni queen. We'd thought them to be extinct."

Ah yes, the Rachni. Renae hated spiders with passion, but there was something about this sentient creature and her talk of music that touched her soul. Renae's passion in life, before the program, had been music. She sang, wrote, and played it whenever possible. Her father had joked that she was better at finding songs to say what she thought than just saying the words himself. How could any creature who wanted to look after her children and teach them un-soured songs be condemned to death? "Correct. Anderson, who am I to doom an entire species? They deserved a chance to start over without the Reapers' influence."

"Agreed. Well done. Your stand-off with Urdnot Wrex ended well. I'm surprised you were able to talk him down. Krogans take the genophage very seriously."

She chuckled. Aiming a gun at Wrex had been the scariest moment of her life. Nobody in their right mind aimed a gun at that Krogan. Fortunately, she'd been able to make him see that the Krogans being breed by Saren were inferior, and not the real cure to the genophage. "You and me both, sir. I'm just glad my friend listened."

He smiled. Friends, she was going to need those. If her reports on the Repear threat were true, then they needed all the friends they could find. "That's enough, Agent Parker. If there's nothing else, enjoy a few hours out, and report back to the pod at 0600."

"Yes, sir." She saluted. Time out? Who needed time out? Renae glanced back at her pod.


	4. Chapter 3: Spaced and Mistrust

_**Bioware owns Mass Effect and all its characters. Chloe is my brainchild. Thank you, everyone, for your subscriptions, comments, messages, and overall support. I feel like I've joined a really neat community here. Hopefully, I'll get some of my friends involved. They're huge Shep/Garrus and Shep/Liara fans, but have been Beta-ing for me. Now we join our hero at the opening of ME2…**_

_**NOTE: I just realized that my well placed lines separating segments in Microsoft Word were not showing up here. *mumbles obscenities* I've re-uploaded the Prologue – Chapter 7 to fix it.**_

Space…the final frontier was such a beautiful and cold place. Just thirty minutes earlier, Commander Chloe Shepard and her crew had been on a routine mission, weeding out pockets of Geth resistance along the edges Council space. Unfortunately, that had all ended when an unknown dreadnought narrowed its sights on them and fired. Chloe was no engineer, but she could tell you two things: a) this ship was not Geth and b) it had lasers that the Alliance only dreamt of currently. Her ship was falling apart around her. She'd barely gotten what was left of her crew to the escape pods, that is, except her helmsman, Jeff "Joker" Moreau. She'd even had to yell at Kaidan to leave her; she refused to risk him while she stayed behind to rescue Joker. "Go, Kaidan. I'll carry Joker's crippled ass out of here," she'd nearly screamed at him. All he could do was stammer out, "Aye, aye, ma'am," before turning and herding the remaining crew into escape pods. She knew he was trying to keep calm, but it wouldn't last once he felt helpless. "This was never supposed to happen. Kaidan's got to be panicking right now. Oh, please tell me Garrus is holding him down," she thought. Chloe slowly made her way through the wreckage of the Normandy to the Joker's domain. "Poor guy, how is he going to marry the ship if she goes down now?" she thought. At least she could still find something to laugh at, given the situation.

In the end, it had taken a few broken bones, but she got Joker into an escape pod just in time. Now, he was watching helplessly as a beam from the attacking ship knocked her away and toward the planet below. She'd thought her armor might be enough to protect her when entering the planet's atmosphere…until she felt it. Suddenly, it was harder to breathe. Despite her training, Chloe found herself gasping for breath. There was a leak in her line. She was going to die out here. "Oh, Kaidan. I'm so sorry," she thought. She'd never intended to fall in love, and certainly never intended to die like this, leaving him behind to watch from a pod. "At least I got out everyone I could…Ash would be proud." With that, Chloe surrendered to the darkness closing in around her.

* * *

"Shepard! Shepard, wake up!"

Chloe groggily looked around the room. Had she dreamt that? There'd been a man named Wilson and a dark haired woman that looked vaguely like Miranda standing over her. That wasn't possible though. She'd just been aboard the Normandy, and it had…it had been destroyed. Wait? Wasn't she…?

"Shepard!"

There it was again. Focusing, Shepard realized the voice she was hearing was Miranda! She didn't know how or why, but she was certainly thankful to hear the voice of her former teacher. Glancing around revealed that Miss Lawson was not in the room, but simply transmitting over the area's communications system. Chloe got up, grabbed a pistol, and loaded it as instructed. She then fought her way through groups of rogue security mechs on the maze of a space station she was on. Luck sure had her number; she'd gone from being spaced to waking up during the "War with the Cylons". She chuckled at the "Battlestar Galactica" reference, and then frowned at the memory of her father. As the next door opened, her cringe was replaced by trained military coolness. She ran for cover from the mechs across the room, and found herself face to face with a soldier. He introduced himself as Jacob Taylor. He seemed startled that she was awake. "Nobody could be anymore shocked than myself," she thought. Fortunately, he was a biotic, so they were able to finish off the rogue mechs while conserving their heat clips. However, any peace she was finding quickly shattered.

"When I first saw you, you were barely more than meat and tubes. You've been dead for two years, and most of that was spent on an operating table."

"Two years?" Chloe felt that familiar panic rising in her chest…She was back in Alliance HQ with Chakwas telling her what year it was. She slowed her breathing and shook her head slowly. "Can't do this in sequence," she thought. She gathered herself before asking, "What about my crew?"

"They mostly split apart after you were spaced."

"I want to find them."

"Ok, but first we need to get off this station."

Jacob was interrupted by a communiqué coming through his omni-tool. It was a man who identified himself as Wilson. He appeared to be another resident of the station and someone Jacob was at least familiar with. Wilson was concerned about the rogue mech situation. He desperately wanted to meet up with them. "I wonder if that's the man from my 'dream' earlier," she thought. Once they found him, she knew it was no dream. However, he didn't seem too happy that she was here, much less that she was awake and remembered him. Chloe did what she could to help him with medi-gel, but the tension remained. It grew when Jacob threw her a curve ball. They worked for Cerberus! How? It didn't make sense! Why would Cerberus spend so much money funding Project Lazarus just to resurrect her? Her questions were answered as they neared the escape shuttle. The last door unlocked to reveal an agitated Miranda Lawson. Chloe reigned in her joy at seeing a familiar face; there was no look of peace from Miranda. Instead, the raven-haired biotic shocked Chloe by shooting Wilson in cold blood, before whisking her and Jacob off of the station. Next stop was a meeting with their boss, the Illusive Man.

* * *

"Renae! Wakey wakey, love."

Agent Parker cracked one eye slowly. She had been on the Normandy, headed back to Alliance HQ in Vancouver on Earth. Apparently, stopping the Collectors from wiping out any more human colonies and pausing the Reaper threat didn't matter if it killed 300,000 Batarians in the process. She rolled her eyes.

"Agent Parker, care to explain that eye roll?"

She looked up to see Miranda and Admiral Anderson staring at her. "Sorry, sir. Just thinking."

"We thought now may be our last chance for a while to pull you out of sequence and debrief, considering the situation you've gotten yourself into."

"Renae, you do realize that Shepard could be thrown into the brig for awhile. Destroying the relay by the Batarian colony was risky, but based on your reports, necessary. However, the Council is being pushed to take action against you for the loss of life. 300,000 Batarians…." Miranda frowned. "However, if it was me, I would've make the same choice." Anderson nodded in agreement.

"Well, at least you two agree with me….Now wait a minute. Sir, permission to speak freely?"

Anderson nodded. "Granted."

Renae whirled her head back to Miranda. "What on earth? Cerberus? Really? How could you? You were so damn cold…near robotic. Why?..." Exasperated, the young woman fell quiet. She couldn't really form words to express how betrayed she'd felt by having Miranda working for Cerberus. Sure, she'd had a friend nearby, someone who really knew who she was, but not being able to talk openly in a bugged ship made them as distant as ever.

"Agent Lawson was undercover for Cerberus. She has been for years. Her inside knowledge of their operations has saved many lives, including yours. When your Avatar took such a large hit, she was nearly unsalvageable. Fortunately, with Miranda's extensive hand in creating your Avatar, she was able to recreate the body and reset the connection to you. "

Renae stared at Anderson, dumbfounded as he finished. Miranda had been the failsafe; she'd resurrected her…no Shepard. "I…That makes a lot more sense than the explanation my imagination tried to make."

Miranda chuckled. "Did you really think I'd leave you hanging, kid? I told you I had permission to join you later. I just couldn't give any further details; they were classified."

"Now that we've gotten that taken care of, can we get back to the issue at hand, ladies? Renae, I do have some questions regarding your recent…choices. You turned the Collector Base over to Cerberus. Why?"

Renae exhaled slowly. He was going to start with that one? Oh boy. She gathered herself. "Sir, to have destroyed that base was a waste of resources. Yes, they may be in the Illusive Man's hands, but at least they are being used. We can retrieve the data if need be. I think we owe the Protheans that much; in a way, their indoctrination and formation of the Collectors is a part of their history and cannot be overlooked."

"Understood. I'd rather it be in Alliance hands, but given the cards they are dealing you currently, I can see your logic. It looks as though you retained much of your previous crew."

Familiar faces. It had been a blessing to find Garrus. Archangel…who knew? Sure, he had hit her with a concussive round, but nearly losing him with the gunship's attack had stopped her from teasing him too much. He carried more scars now, but was probably her best friend on the crew. "How was it Joker had worded it? He went from having a stick up his ass to taking it out and beating everyone to death with it?" She snorted at the thought, earning a raised eyebrow from Miranda. Tali had been wary at their first run-in, mainly due to Cerberus, but she had come around. Together, they'd saved the Alari and never had to mention her father's work with the Geth. The Quarian engineer had come a long way since her pilgrimage. Renae smiled. Now, Liara as the Shadow Broker…she hadn't seen that one coming. Her innocent, Asari scientist had turned into an even more formidable fighter, both on and off the battlefield. She'd only seen her briefly, but Renae missed her friend. She frowned.

"Memories, Commander?"

"Renae, remember, Miranda?" She stuck her tongue out childishly.

"I assumed as much. You seemed lost in thought. At least these seemed to be happier than after Horizon."

Her blood ran cold. Horizon. Kaidan. Now that was an ugly reunion. Seeing him had been a rush; her heart nearly beat out of her chest. Relief had flooded her veins as she realized he hadn't been taken by the Collectors. Life was one big symphony, until he called her a Cerberus traitor. The way it stung, you'd have thought he called her a whore. Garrus had tried to defend her honor so to speak, but the damage was done. The man she loved…the one she'd been desperate enough to find that she'd returned to the Citadel in a Cerberus vessel…verbally spit in her face and left her. She'd shattered that night in her cabin. Memories of waking up from cryo and feeling alone had engulfed her. She'd relieved and re-mourned the loss along with the freshness of Kaidan's dismissal. Her shivers did not go unnoticed.

"At least you had your friends to help. Jacob seemed to be a good listener." Miranda smiled. The former Cerberus operative had been more than supportive. He had seemed readily interested in Shepard once he got past his own daddy issues. Whether or not his relationship with her student had gone past a one night tussle in the sheets, she didn't know. She had noticed that Shepard seemed unusually calm during the suicide mission. She smirked.

"Hush, you." Renae scrunched her nose slightly in joking irritation. "Jacob is a great guy, but that's it. I hope he finds what he's looking for out there. I don't have time for men and their…distractions. I just need to focus on the mission. The Repears are coming."

"I know, Renae. However, the Alliance and the Council are having a hard time believing you. I know that they're wanting to throw you in the brig once we get you on the ground. This trial could take longer than either of us wants or can imagine."

Renae's words caught in her throat. "In the brig? Alone?" She didn't handle alone well these days. With no outlet for her energy, the young biotic found her mind traveling back down sorrowful paths that she had no desire to journey.

"Confined partially, but not alone. You'll be allowed your personal items and a guard has been assigned to you." Anderson tried to reassure his young agent, but she seemed ruffled.

"A babysitter? You're getting me a babysitter?"

"Trust me, you'll enjoy this one, kid," cooed Miranda.

Renae blushed. This was definitely not an idea she needed. Being alone may be preferable to what Miranda was insinuating.

"Agent Parker, I think it's time you loaded back in. Joker's going to wonder why Shepard's sleeping so much when they're this close to earth."

"Aye, aye, sir."

_**Thank you for your kind words. I hope to have the next chapter up in a few days. I'm so excited. Don't get me wrong, I love Kaidan. Shenko is awesome, but Vega…that man has such unbridled potential. I'm interested to see what goes on between Chloe and Vega during her time on earth. **_


	5. Chapter 4: A Fateful Introduction

_**Bioware owns Mass Effect and all its characters. Chloe/Renae is my brain child. Hang with me. These next few chapters are getting way longer than I'd intended. It's just that these characters are so vocal; they're demanding more face time. **_

_**NOTE: I just realized that my well placed lines separating segments in Microsoft Word were not showing up here. *mumbles obscenities* I've re-uploaded the Prologue – Chapter 7 to fix it.**_

Lieutenant James Vega paced the room like a caged tiger. His omni-tool reflected that he had been waiting for nearly three hours. Being stagnant was his idea of pure torture. This had to be the Admiral's idea of punishment for him. Sure, when Admiral Anderson had found him, he'd been on Omega. He was on leave and had an itch to scratch. It was purely fate that the Commander Shepard had decided to destroy the Mass Effect Relay, that took out 300,000 Batarians, while he was playing Skillian Five with a bunch of drunken, angry Batarians. Their opinions on the Savior of the Citadel were just asking to be corrected. He had been the man for the job. By the time Anderson had found him, three were beaten unconscious and the fourth was wishing he had been. James rolled his shoulders, tossing his head from side to side. It made no sense. Why had Anderson come all the way to Omega to pick him for a mission and not tell him what it was? The door slid open to reveal the man in question. James snapped a salute. "Admiral, sir."

"At ease, Lieutenant. I'm sure you must be wondering why I brought you here."

James relaxed, but raised an eyebrow in reply. Sure, he'd been wondering. He just hadn't expected Anderson to right come out and say it. "Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"Granted."

"Sir, if this is about my behavior on Omega, I won't say I'm sorry. Those Batarians were ranting about Shepard. She's a hero. No one should speak about her that way."

"I'm glad you feel that way, son. She needs all the support she can get. The Batarian government hasn't openly called for her life, but there's already been one attempted assassination since she returned to the Sol System."

"Sol? Shouldn't she be headed to the Citadel, not Earth, sir?"

"Unfortunately, Commander Shepard will be grounded, pending a full review by the Alliance Military. Lieutenant, it's our best shot at letting her have a fair trial. 300,000 lives were lost. The Council isn't taking this situation lightly."

"If it was necessary to stop the Reapers from utilizing that relay, then…but sir, I don't see what the Commander's current situation has to do with me."

"To bring it full circle, while on Earth, Commander Shepard will be on lockdown. She will not be allowed out of her cell without guard. You, Lieutenant, are her guard."

* * *

Thunderclouds loomed outside. Lightning flashed, briefly illuminating the small cell in Alliance HQ. A young woman set on a cot in the corner, her back to the wall and knees pulled up to her chest. The only sound in the room was her breathing. She'd timed sixty since the last thunder crash. The cell's door chimed, asking to grant entrance to visitors. The room's crimson-haired occupant glanced up, but made no move to answer. Anderson had begged her to come back to Alliance space, had said that he would protect her. What part of protecting her involved cutting off all contact with the outside world? She hadn't seen her crew or anyone else since the Normandy had landed in Vancouver. Three days of climbing the walls. Three days of screaming and no answers. Now they wanted to play? Screw them. She huffed, blowing oily bangs slightly out of her face. She'd kill for a shower though. Maybe she could at least convince them to let her out for one. At least the hope of that idea gave her the motivation necessary to cross the room to her door.

Anderson stepped into Cell 713. No lights were on, and the air smelled stagnant. Commander Chloe Shepard saluted while glaring at him from the doorway. "Admiral, can I help you?"

He chuckled. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. "May I come in?"

"Sir, no one else has. Why not?" She threw up her hands in exasperation before turning to walk away. The door whooshed closed behind Anderson as he entered. He looked around. The room was tiny; it had a toilet and a cot, but nothing further. The young woman before him looked frustrated. Her eyes flashed of betrayal.

"Shepard, I didn't abandon you. I've been pulling every string I can to try and make arrangements for you. It just took longer than expected. I'm sorry."

Chloe exhaled slowly. She knew this wouldn't be easy. It's just the waiting was driving her crazy. "No apology necessary, sir. You were just doing your job."

"I've arranged to have you moved to another cell, but I wasn't able to talk them out of the bodyguard." Shepard groaned in reply. "And honestly, I think they're right," he paused as she tightened her focus on him. "Shepard, there's been a threat on your life; several threats have been made actually. I can't guarantee your safety. A bodyguard would allow you to move outside of your room, while still having someone on your side protecting you."

She exhaled slowly, "Permission to speak freely, sir?" Anderson nodded.

"Granted."

Chloe had to restrain herself to keep from shouting, "On my side? From where I'm standing, everyone on my side has been removed or fled to save their own skins. Except for you, I'm alone in this, Anderson."

"Shepard, the only thing standing between you and the Batarian government, that is currently doing everything but calling for your head, is the Alliance. Let those Marines do their job and protect you. You're one of us. We're not throwing you to those wolves. You have to trust me on this, Shepard. Have I ever let you down before?"

Chloe stared hard at the man before her. Anderson had been her mentor, confidant, and friend. She knew the choice she had to make. "Ok, but this babysitter you're talking about had better be cute. I need a change in scenery."

Anderson chuckled. "I'll let you be the judge of that."

* * *

His hazel eyes cased the room one last time. Anderson would be here any moment with the Commander. He looked down, making sure his dress blues were straight. James Vega was nervous? Never. He snorted at the thought, but couldn't deny it. He was. This wasn't just any guard duty. This was Commander Shepard, Savior of the Citadel and the first Human Spectre. How did a grunt like him draw this job? The door chimed as they entered.

Chloe had been distracted on the way over. For the first time, she really wasn't finding comfort in being on Earth. Though it may be gilded compared to her last, this cell would still be a cage. She just had to make the Alliance see the truth at her hearing. Then she'd get her crew and the Normandy back. This was a waste of time and resources. The Reapers were still coming!

"Shepard, we're here."

Cell 1313 loomed in front of her. She huffed slightly. All she wanted was to get this over with. Now was not the time to play slumber party and do pedicures with a babysitter. Determined to look too pissed to speak to, she set her jaw and walked in.

Lt. Vega snapped a salute as Admiral Anderson and Commander Shepard entered.

"At ease, soldier. Lt. James Vega, I'd like you to meet Commander Chloe Shepard. Shepard, this is the young Marine that will be guarding you."

James stood at parade rest while Shepard took him in. Usually, women eyed him like a drink of water after a drought, but she looked angry…no, furious. She eyed him with fury and pain boiling in her eyes…until she finally looked at him from head to toe. He then heard what was quite possibly the laughter of an angel. Only, it wasn't polite giggles. No, the first Human Spectre was doubled over and laughing like he was the sideshow at the circus. He raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Commander?"

She looked up at the enormous Marine in front of her, tears streaming down her face as she laughed. "How'd your parents manage?"

He looked to Anderson, who didn't seem to have a clue either. She'd peaked his interest though. "How'd they manage what, Commander?"

Chloe was shaking from laughter. She tried to gather herself. As calmly as possible, she stated "To make you. Damn! I didn't know cross-breeding between humans and Krogans was even possible." That was all it took; the laughter began anew. Anderson chuckled, but tried to keep a straight face.

James looked at her quizzically. Who was this mujer tonta, and what had she done with the angry one he'd seen earlier? His lips twitched a smile.

Shepard attempted to gather herself. She wiped the tears from her eyes as her laughter died down to chuckles. "Sorry about that, Lieutenant Vega, was it? It's been a rough few days, and I couldn't help it. I mean, have you seen you?"

His baritone chuckle vibrated his chest as he crossed his arms in front of him. Shepard's eyes flowed over the vine-like muscles rippling through his arms and finally drank him in. Now that was the reaction he usually got from women. He smirked. "It looks like you have now, Commander." Her eyes flashed back to his, looking amused. He liked this look on her. "I've got smarts, too." He winked. "I figured that the better I am at poker, the more money I can make. I had to find a way to make money for all that chow. Krogan babies eat a lot more than human babies." Her melodic laughter filled the room again, before she narrowed her eyes into an amused smirk.

"Poker, you say? Vega, I think you and I may get along just fine."

He couldn't help but smile as took in her pearly whites, alabaster skin with freckles, crimson hair, and what looked like a twinkle of hope behind her emerald eyes. The electricity to his heart was unmistakable. His job was going to be more than protecting her; it was protecting that twinkle. "Fabulously, Commander…just fabulously."


	6. Chapter 5: Reaper Invasion

_**Bioware owns Mass Effect and its characters. Renae/Chloe are my love children. **_

_**NOTE: I just realized that my well placed lines separating segments in Microsoft Word were not showing up here. *mumbles obscenities* I've re-uploaded the Prologue – Chapter 7 to fix it.**_

Some protector of twinkles he was. Pain. He'd seen it flash in her eyes before. Vids from the day she landed on Earth…then again in person the day they'd met. Those two experiences had nothing on this. Chloe Shepard looked haunted. It was as if her soul had left her body. She had been silent the whole way back from her trial. Those hijos de putas had stripped her of her title, command, and ship. You don't ground a Marine like that without repercussions, but she'd been calm…like the middle of a storm. He was waiting for her to finally snap and just lose control. Nothing. She'd curled up on her couch, pulled her knees to her chest, and stared out the window since they had returned to her room. The only indicator that she wasn't just bored was the faint crackle of her biotics from her nerves being shot. Her breathing was slow and steady; she was trying to rein it all in. For once, the commander didn't look larger than life. On that couch sat a frazzled young woman who had just lost everything. She needed a friend, a protector, someone who would hold her still while the storm raged on. He swallowed forcefully before speaking. "Commander?"

Her emerald eyes locked onto him, suddenly remembering she wasn't alone in the room. "Don't call me that, Vega."

"There's no one I know who deserves the title more, ma'am."

He could see that his military coolness was getting under her skin; she was finally going to snap. He welcomed it. Anything was better than the frazzled mess the Alliance had turned her into. She bolted from the couch, flipping over the coffee table like it was nothing. Her biotics filled the air with a level of static he wasn't accustomed to with her.

"My name is Chloe Shepard. Do NOT call me Commander. They've taken her from me." She held her ground, face inches from his, and glared.

Third person? He paused. That was different, even for Shepard. "No. She's still in there. You're still you, Chloe." Tentatively, he reached out and grazed her left cheek with his thumb. Her eyes glossed momentarily. "She's finally coming around," he thought and smiled. Boy, was he wrong. An L5 biotic is powerful. An emotionally unstable L5 biotic is frightening. She smiled, but it was a cruel smile…one that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

"You're right, James. I am still myself, and I could use some target practice." With that, Chloe threw out a short range shockwave that threw James toward the door. Fortunately for him, it opened just before he connected with it. Admirals Hackett and Anderson watched as Vega flew past them and into the opposing hallway wall. He slumped to the floor, shaking his head as tiny pieces of paint from the wall cracked and fell onto him. Anderson leaned down and offered him a hand up.

"You're lucky, kid. Last time she did that to me, the wall was less soft."

James raised his eyebrow. "Last time, sir?"

Hackett laughed and slapped Anderson on the shoulder. "You should've seen it. She was a biotic powerhouse, even in her early days. She tried to use lift to hand Anderson a pencil, but flicked her wrist and shot him across the room into a steel door."

James cringed, but realized something. "Has she always been an L5, sir?"

The admirals looked at one another, as if to figure out how to answer that without giving away something important. His interest was peaked, but Chloe deflected.

"You do know that I'm right here, and it's offensive to ask a biotic about their implants, right?"

Three jaws dropped and closed. "My apologies, Shepard. I..I hadn't meant to offend you."

"None taken. Sorry that I got carried away. It's been a rough day. Wow, I've got to quit using that on you." She tentatively chuckled. There it was; the sparkle was coming back.

"It'll be ok, Comm…Shepard."

"If it's ok with you, Lieutenant, Anderson and I need to borrow Shepard for a moment. We've got some business to discuss."

James snapped a salute, and the admirals retreated from the room. The crimson warrior hesitated, and spoke. "It's Chloe. I think I owe you that much, James."

"Chloe it is." With a whoosh of the door, she was gone. Chloe. He liked the sound of her name on his lips. Maybe now that she wasn't his superior officer he could…He smacked his forehead. "Pendejo, think with your head man. Ay, dios mio." He shook his head at the thought. She had enough on her plate without a bodyguard with a school boy crush. His eyes took in the room. At least he could clean up the aftermath of her anger. He righted the overturned coffee table when it caught his eye. He'd seen this book on the table every day after she'd unpacked. She'd never opened it, but kept it there nonetheless. As he picked it up, a photo fell out. It was of a blonde-haired, green-eyed woman. She appeared to be in her early 40s, and her smile was contagious. He found himself grinning back at the photo. This woman looked tired, but happy. "Who is she? I haven't heard the Comman…Chloe mention her before." He knew that her parents had passed away years ago on Mindoir, but…this woman was clearly on Earth judging by her surroundings. "Put it up, hombre. You have no business messing with her personal stuff." He hastily placed the photo back in the book, and set it on the coffee table. Looking around the room, he decided everything looked to be back in place, so he settled himself on the couch to wait.

* * *

"Chloe, we wanted to make sure you were ok."

She let out what felt like the longest exhale in her life. "Honestly, I've been better. This wasn't something I expected to happen."

Anderson's gaze softened. Though he was staring at Chloe Shepard, he knew that inside was a frightened girl from Arkansas named Renae. She was over 100 years out of her time and getting thrown some of the galaxy's ugliest punches. "I know, kid. Remember, you're not alone. We're here for you."

"Agreed," said Hackett. The young woman impressed him. She'd come so far and even though she had others surrounding her, she was still alone. Knowledge of the Avatar Project was heavily contained; her main contacts were Anderson, Miranda, and himself. "You're doing a good job. You presented your case the best that you could. They'll see the truth, come hell or high water."

Chloe closed her eyes. The Reapers were coming. She knew it down to her core. Somehow, this was still going to depend on her. "Thank you, Admiral. It's nice to see someone still believes me."

Hackett glanced back at the closed door behind him and nodded. "More than you know, Shepard…more than you know."

* * *

It had all happened so fast. One minute, she'd been talking with the Admirals. The next minute, James was rushing her to the hearing room with Anderson. So, the Alliance finally saw the light. Of course, it was too late. The Reapers were on their doorstep. She felt her heart rate rise. Chloe was good under pressure. Hell, she was great under pressure. What she was not great around, currently, was Kaidan. At least she could handle him when she couldn't hear or see him, but was she that lucky today? No, of course not. There he was, with that husky voice that made her skin come alive behind her. Her heart had jumped out of her chest, until she looked at him, and saw his whiskey eyes smiling coldly back at her. Kaidan still thought she was with Cerberus…after all of this. How dare he? "Major." She nodded.

"It's good to see you Shepard." Kaidan tried to keep his voice as steady as possible. After all this time, she still took his breath away. He missed the touch of her skin, the taste of her lips, her voice whispering his name…Now was not the time. She was here in the flesh, but she was under surveillance. She could be a sleeper operative for Cerberus for all he knew. He had to keep his distance.

Sure…He'd known the Commander, but did he have to wear the fact that he'd known her in a biblical sense like it was cologne? Major Alenko didn't come right out and say it, but Vega saw in Chloe's eyes. Even worse, he could tell she still loved the guy. Her eyes did more than twinkle. They flat out illuminated the room. It was like they screamed happiness and "come hither"…until the Major broke her. "I dunno what that hijo de puta just did to her, but Shepard looks like a kicked puppy," he thought. "Voy a patearle el culo,…if I get the chance. She's too good for this mierda." Vega was so irritated, that he nearly missed the fact that he was now alone in the hallway with Major Douchebag himself.

"Lieutenant, come with me."

The order had snapped Vega back to reality. He raised an eyebrow, "Sir?"

Kaidan braced himself to keep from rolling his eyes. What kind of a day-dreaming meathead did they have guarding Shepard? "If the Reapers are really here, then we need to get the Normandy off the ground. We need to get Chloe out of here. If you still want to protect her, follow me." With that, he turned and headed toward the docking bay, tapping his omni-tool in an effort to raise Joker.

James glared at the Major's retreating form, but couldn't deny the truth. His job was to protect the sparkle, even from guys like Alenko. He barreled down the hallway after Kaidan, determined to do just that.

* * *

She fought control as the Normandy pulled away. They were leaving Earth and leaving behind the only father figure she had left. "Hold it together, Chloe. You can do this. Go to the Citadel and get the Council's help. We'll be back in a flash," she thought. It was hard enough keeping herself calm; keeping Vega calm was a different animal.

"What do you mean, 'we're leaving?'" James had nearly roared it before checking the direction of his anger. A flash of flames behind the newly reinstated Commander's eyes brought him back to reality. She simply crossed her arms and waited for him to calm down. He huffed.

"We are going to the Citadel for help. If we stay, they're all goners. At least at the Citadel, we can get help from the Council's fleet and come back with reinforcements. If you want, you can get off there and take a shuttle back, but we are going. That is final, Lieutenant."

The crisp way his title had rolled off of her tongue brought him back to reality. He was an Alliance Marine. He knew better than to speak to his CO like that, but his pride was getting in the way. Sure, she was right, but he wanted to be down there…in the fight. People were dying. His eyes met hers; no sparkle. He nearly sighed in defeat. "You're right, Commander. I was out of line. I'm sorry. I'll head down to the shuttle bay; they may need some help securing cargo with such an unexpected take off."

She nodded. At least his head was back on straight. Unfortunately for her, the warm body that coughed behind her spun her focus off course. Her omni-tool beeped. "Saved by the beep," she thought and nearly giggled. Admiral Hackett's voice filled her communicator.

"Shepard! Did you make it out?"

"Good to hear your voice, too, Hackett. Yes, sir. We're leaving Earth now. Anderson opted to stay behind and rally the troops."

"He would. I have something for you, Shepard. Before you head to the Citadel, go to Mars. Dr. T'soni has some information that may prove to be useful to us."

Liara…it felt like forever since she'd seen anyone of her crew. "Aye, aye, sir.

"Good, oh, and Shepard, good luck. Hackett out."

"Shepard? Is that you?"

Music to her ears…that's what his voice was. "Joker! You're on board?"

"Yes, we are, Commander," rang a more synthetic alto.

"EDI! Thank God. Set a course to Mars, guys. We've got to go get Liara."

"Aye, aye, Commander. It's good to have you back, ma'am."

"Thanks, Joker. It's good to be home."


	7. Chapter 6: Boxing of the Heart

_**Bioware owns Mass Effect and its characters. Renae/Chloe are my beloved children. **_

_**NOTE: I just realized that my well placed lines separating segments in Microsoft Word were not showing up here. *mumbles obscenities* I've re-uploaded the Prologue – Chapter 7 to fix it.**_

The feeling you get when you've disappointed your mom or didn't protect your kid sister from a bully, yeah, that was the embodiment of Vega today. This self-punishment for his mistakes wasn't healthy, but at least it made him feel something else. He carried around enough from his career before he'd met Shepard, but the incident on Mars was fresh. He'd been sent back to the shuttle, like a kid put into the corner in school. He had been frustrated. Then, he couldn't get to the Commander in time because of the storm coming through. He could, however, stop those Cerberus cronies from getting off the ground. He'd plowed his shuttle into theirs, taking both to the ground. Sure, it had been reckless, but he got the job done. The adrenaline rush was amazing. He hadn't felt that alive in forever…until that thing had "gone Terminator" on Kaidan, as Shepard had later put it. Now, he was doing pull-ups in the shuttle bay, waiting on Shepard to rip him a new one. He may not like the Major, but Chloe…she loved the guy. She had stayed at the Citadel as long as she could when they first rushed him in. Scuttlebutt said the man was even in line to be a Spectre. How could he compete with that? He closed his eyes as he shook his head and huffed. He couldn't. Chloe was out of his league…no matter how much he…"Stop that train of thought right now, hombre. Just keep count. Clear your head." Unfortunately for him. that only works when what you're avoiding isn't in your face. He felt the familiar hum of her biotics when she exited the lift. She didn't clink when she walked; no armor meant she was in her regular clothes. He swallowed…hard. He continued with his routine, hoping to keep his concentration. "Hey, Shepard. How'd it go with the Council?"

Chloe crossed her arms. It'd been ugly. No dice. "Same as usual, non-committal..unhelpful."

Of course not. She was their freaking savior on a platter, and they were too stupid to listen to her…or at least that's what he thought. "Bet they still wanted you to help them out, no?"

"Yep. We're going to rescue a Turian Primarch from Palaven."

"Sounds like fun. Never been to the Turian home world." His eyes flickered toward her. Even in her civvies, she was breathtaking. From the top of her head, down to the sole of her feet, she had his attention…maybe a little more than he wanted. A cold shower would be in order soon. He continued with his pull-up distraction; he had to find a way to get away from her. "You come down here for something, or are you just looking?"

Shepard leaned back and smirked. Vega really was a piece of work, and a fine-looking one at that. Why not tease him a little? He deserved some payback. "I did just come to chat, but I might stay for the show."

He fought a smirk. "Hafta work harder than that if you want me to blush." He paused. "Not sure what there is to talk about. You already know my service record."

She paused. Tension built as she turned away. "I don't actually. I didn't have access to personnel records when we met."

He tensed. Damn, she had been in the brig with no extranet access. "Right. Forgot about that. Well, uh." It looked like this was going to take longer than he'd thought. He smiled. If he was going to go to hell, he may as well enjoy it. He dropped to the floor. "Think you can dance and talk at the same time?"

"Oh, I can dance." Chloe smirked and crinkled her nose as she brought her hands up. She hadn't seen him this spunky since before Mars. She'd missed her friend.

God, he loved that crinkle. "Ok, Lola. Let's do this."

And that's where it went downhill. She whooped him, bloody nose and all. To make bad matters worse, he only got a few decent hits in on her physically. Shepard, however, had ripped him right to the core emotionally. She saw how scarred he was from losing his team and how much he beat himself up over it. She made him relieve the decisions, but also made him see them as building blocks to move forward. How could she be so damn inspiring and painful at the same time? He cringed while remembering that kick to his ribs had biotics with it. While he didn't think that was quite fair, he knew she was trying to prove her point. He mattered, and she wanted him around alive. He smiled. "One more point for me, Alenko," he mumbled as he walked back to his tool box to find some medi-gel.

* * *

Kaidan stared at her; he couldn't help it. The way her crimson bangs kept fluttering over her eyes; her lips moving slightly as she talked to herself in hushed tones…She must be distracted by something, and then her eyes met his. God, he loved her eyes. They were this luminescent emerald that pierced straight to his soul and the purest reflection of her own. He could always read her by her eyes. It seemed like hours passed before she crossed the café and took a seat beside him.

"Major."

Titles? He had hoped that his rejoining the Normandy crew and openly trusting in her would help things go back to the way they were. He'd even gone so far as to invite her to lunch to ease the tension between them. His eyes took her in. God knows he still loved her. It consumed every ounce of him. He was just sorry that it took him so long to push aside the lies and see her for who she was, his best friend and the one who always had his back. "Hey, Shepard. Thanks for joining me," he grinned.

"God, he has a 1,000 kilowatt smile," she thought. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest. She had been wary of meeting him at Apollo's. The Citadel was a wreck after Cerberus's botched invasion; she still couldn't believe they'd lost Thane. Unfortunately, she knew she'd lose more before this was over…maybe even herself. She sighed, earning her a confused look from Kaidan. She shook her head and smiled softly. "No problem. I needed a break. There's been so many lost recently. Sometimes, we just need to sit back and reflect."

He returned her smile; it was infectious. He wished she would do it more often. "No problem. I think we've earned a sanity check."

* * *

James rarely left the card tables in the refugee camp on the Citadel, but today, he felt like stretching his legs. That and he had a question for the Shadow Broker. He knew Liara liked to visit the Presidium. The scenery reminded her of home…of Thessia. "To each his own," he thought. James had grown up in some rougher neighborhoods. Pretty scenery wasn't home. Dirt, fighting for your life, and wondering if your stuff would be at home when you got there…now that was home. He wasn't necessarily in a hurry to visit that. The refugee camp was the closest he got to it these days. There, it was cramped with hungry bellies and pockets full of pride. He always seemed to draw an unlucky hand and lose everything when he played poker there. A man would rather earn his money in cards than take a handout, at least that's how he'd grown up. He glanced around. It looked like the war had finally reached the Presidium. Gone were the cheery faces of weeks past, asking one another about the latest upgrades for their electronics. Now, scared individuals huddled in corners and spoke in hushed tones. Braver individuals traveled alone, but passed through hallways in a flash. A young girl tugged her mother's hand and pointed at the Marine as he walked by. She shushed her daughter and pulled her closer as he passed. His enemies should see him that way, but it bothered him that civilians did sometimes, too. He was a big guy, but he was a teddy bear…or at least Esteban said he was. He chuckled. Steve Cortez was turning out to be a pretty good friend. God knows how many times Cortez had put up with him fuming about Major Dipwad and Chloe. Her name still had that butterfly affect on him. He'd jump through a blaze of bullets and fire for her. He'd…wait a minute. His eyes grazed across Apollo's Café and stopped dead on Chloe having lunch with Kaidan. Was that a laugh? She's happy? He cringed as he watched the Major place a soft kiss on her hand before cupping it against his face. "Ay, dios mio. She's…she's happy with him," he thought. "I haven't seen her laugh like that…since I met her." His heart dropped. The illumination was back in her eyes. Hell, it was in Kaidan's, too. Would he protect her, even if it meant watching from the sidelines? He frowned. He knew he would. It hurt, being in the friend-zone. He kept walking, head in a daze. Liara frowned softly as he approached.

"You, too, huh?"

Her diagnosis brought him back. His eyes traced her bright blue features quizzically, looking for an answer, but all he found was sympathy. "What do you mean?"

"You love her. I believe the expression is, 'even a blind man could see that'?" She chuckled softly as he frowned. "It's ok, James. You're not alone," she sighed.

Wow. Had she just admitted to…? Wait, she…? No. How'd he miss that? "You and Shepard….?"

She shook her head slowly, as if trying to not relieve the memories like a Drell. Her large eyes settled on his. "On the original Normandy, I was fascinated by her at first. She was a human touched by a Prothean beacon who hadn't lost her mind. That fascination led to a crush…a rather large one. It nearly led to a rather ugly confrontation between Lt. Alenko, Shepard, and myself. Fortunately, I recognized what I believe you just did. They love each other. It fills up the room when they enter. Though they weren't ready to admit it back then, it was undeniable. It's why she took Horizon so hard. It's why she wept over him after Mars. Chloe loves that man with every fiber of her being." She sympathetically placed her hand on James' shoulder. "It takes a bigger person to stand back and let that kind of love thrive. It's not easy, but isn't it worth it to see her happy again?"

James sighed. Damn his urges to protect that sparkle in her eyes. "Yeah…I guess you're right, Doc." He glanced toward Shepard. "Uhm, Liara? Could I get you to take a look at something for me?"

She raised her eyebrow in question. "Sure, James. What is it?"

He pulled out the picture. He shouldn't have taken it, but in the rush of getting to the Normandy, he'd thought Shepard would forget her book. He just hadn't found the right time to return it to her, and the picture of the unknown blonde haunted him. "Could you help me find out who this is? Shepard had this in her book, and I was thinking…if it's a family member, maybe we can see if she's alive. It would be a neat surprise for Chloe."

Liara smiled. The man knew how to get her interest and had most definitely known to come to her. "Certainly. I'll be happy to look into this for you, James."


	8. Chapter 7: Rebirth

_**Bioware owns Mass Effect and all its babies. Chloe and Renae are my wee ones. **_

_**Thank you for your kind words of support whether they be by message or by comment. I really appreciate and love the feedback. This is my first shot at a fanfic ever. I'm excited with the soon to come chapters, but loving the development. It's been a lot of canon and backstory, but hang with me. It's gonna be awesome. **_

_**NOTE: I just realized that my well placed lines separating segments in Microsoft Word were not showing up here. *mumbles obscenities* I've re-uploaded the Prologue – Chapter 7 to fix it.**_

James shook his head as he exited the Gunnery. Scars and Sparks together. Who knew? He smiled. Garrus was a lucky guy; he'd always wondered what Tali looked like under that hood. He chuckled softly to himself, but stopped short when he saw Liara. Doc had been, well, devastated since their mission on Thessia. Honestly, it reminded him of why they left earth, but it had those banshee things. He shuddered. It must kill her to know those were her people…or at least they had been. She was sitting alone at a table in the mess, with her head buried in her hands. Her food sat untouched in front of her. He frowned and slid into the seat next to her. "Heya, Doc."

Liara lifted her head and glanced toward Lt. Vega. He was trying to cheer her up. Goddess, bless him. She sniffled slightly and sat up, trying to give off the air that she was fine. "Vega, what can I do for you?"

"You look like you could use a distraction."

She smiled softly. "You have no idea." Her smile never reached her eyes. Her eyes narrowed as she watched him stare. "What?"

"You know, you can talk to me if you need to. God knows you and Esteban could charge me for my rant sessions about Major Culo." There it was; she shot him a real smile. He smiled back. Doc was turning out to be a pretty good friend to talk to these days. She'd helped him deal with his feelings about Shepard and Kaidan. He was finally able to step back and let them be happy without mumbling obscenities in Spanish when they went by. He'd even stopped threatening to use the guy for target practice to Cortez when a mission went sour. She'd even taken time out of her busy schedule to…Damn. He'd nearly forgotten he gave her that picture. "Say, uh, Doc. Did you ever find out anything about that photo?" Her eyes flashed.

"Yes, but it didn't make much sense. I'm trying to dig a bit further into it." She set her right elbow on the table and rested her chin on hand. With her left, she beckoned him closer. He leaned in. "She's a woman named Jean Parker. Apparently, she died in 2008. That photo should look worse than it does. Someone's taken impeccably good care of it."

He raised his eyebrow. "2008? That's…damn. That was over 100 years ago. Any idea on why Shepard would have it?"

She shook her head slightly. "Not yet. The woman was from Earth in a southern portion of what was then called the United States of America. I searched some old census records. She had a husband and a daughter, but the trail practically goes cold there. It's almost as if someone tried to hide her family." She rubbed her temples in frustration. "Do you have any other information on the photo? Where'd you say you found it again, in a book? Was there anything special about it?"

His eyes lit up momentarily. "Reni. The note in the front of the book was addressed to someone named Reni and said 'Love, Mom.' Do you think it could be these people? I mean, could this be her daughter's book?"

The young Asari smiled slyly. He was learning; he withheld information. "James, you know I can't find a full picture unless you give me all the details. What book?"

He grinned sheepishly. Oops; his bad. "It was an older one." He'd seen the cover nearly every day since before the Reapers had attacked Earth; the title was damn near imbedded in his brain. "The title was 'The Lord of the Rings' by some guy named Tolkien something or other."

So he had an eye for details? He must have been staring at this thing for a while. Liara smiled. "I'll look into it." She hushed as Shepard walked by, heading to the Gunnery. James snorted, stifling a laugh. Liara raised her eyebrow. "If Scars and Sparks are as 'buddy-buddy' as I think they are, then preventing her from entering that room would ruin what is quite possibly a priceless and embarrassing moment. I think I'll pretend to not know she's headed that way."

Liara let loose her first real laugh in days.

* * *

"We're going home," she thought. Chloe lingered in bed longer than she'd planned, but not without reason. For the first time in a long time, she had felt truly at peace last night. Kaidan had come by, under the premise of wanting to share a drink "for old times' sake." She chuckled softly. She'd missed him so much. The way his whiskey brown eyes drank her in, the feel of his hands on her skin, the taste his lips…He shifted behind her and brought arm around her waist, pulling her closer. She stifled a laugh. "Well at least part of him is awake. Missed that, too," she thought.

"Chloe," he murmured softly.

"Shhh…get some sleep, Kaidan," she softly cooed over her shoulder.

His eyes snapped open at her words. He'd been dreaming or at least he thought he had. His eyes drank in the beauty in front of him. Nope; this was definitely not a dream. The woman of his fantasies rolled over in his arms and snuggled up against his chest. There was nothing he wouldn't give up to spend the rest of his life beside her like this. She pulled back slightly and peered up to his eyes. Her own seemed puzzled at his abrupt stare. He softened his gaze and brought her face close to his, before placing a soft kiss on her lips. "I love you, Chloe," he breathed against her bottom lip.

She sighed happily. She could hear him say that a thousand times over and her heart wouldn't beat any slower. "You know I love you, Kaidan," she purred.

Pulling back, he raised his eyebrow and smiled. "Well good morning to you, too, then."

She loved that huskiness in his voice when he…yeah. That. Kaidan leaned in, his breath warm against her ear. He slowly kissed down the side of her neck before lightly nibbling at her collarbone. She moaned softly in reply.

"Commander, we're approximately 30 minutes out from Earth. Hackett is requesting to come aboard when we arrive." Damn it, Joker. He had to be the biggest cockblock in the entirety of Council Space.

"Thank you, Joker. I'll be ready."

"Commander, if you and Major Alenko require additional time to get ready, I'm sure we can…"

"I said I'll be ready, EDI!" shouted Shepard. She swore she heard Joker snicker before the signal went out. She turned to Kaidan who sheepishly had un-entangled himself from her body and put his hands up in surrender. "Oh no, you don't. He said 30 minutes. Get over here." If today went sour, this may be the last time she had with him. Chloe intended to take full advantage of it.

* * *

The blast from the Reaper's laser did more than knock the wind out of him. It nearly knocked him out. James found himself half buried under a pile of rubble. The only light was from a few cracks in the rocks forming the cocoon around his body. He tried to move his right leg and had to bite his lip to stifle a cry. Yeah, it was definitely broken. His groan of frustration vibrated deep in his chest. He huffed. A broken rib, too? Great…just great. He gritted his teeth and slowly tried to move his arms. Finally, something worked. He began the long process of trying to remove the rubble from his upper body, when his omni-tool crackled to life. Someone was talking to Shepard. They thought her whole team was destroyed in that blast…all but her. His heart leapt at her voice. Thank God. Wait. Did she say she would try? He moved faster. As he pushed the last bit of mortar and stone out of the way, he saw her. Shepard looked like she belonged in a morgue. Parts of her armor appeared melted into her skin. She was broken, bloodied, and bruised…but walking. Husks approached on her right. He opened his mouth to warn her, but they fell one by one. She still had her pistol. He smiled. Damn, even that hurt. His jaw dropped as she entered the beam of light before her and was gone. "Come on, Lola. You're the only hope we've got."

* * *

Shepard fell to the ground in a huff. The light had brought her to the Citadel, but it was full of rotting bodies haphazardly strewn about. She cringed. This was their holding tank for harvesting. Lovely. The stench of decomposition hung in the air like a thick fog. She fought back the bile that rose in her throat, crouching low as she attempted to make her way through the room. Maybe she could stay below the human-laced fog and breathe. A strong voice filled the air…Anderson had made it. Wait. He was here? Her nose and forehead crinkled in frustration. Why would he risk himself to do this? It was ludicrous. She rolled her eyes. Because at heart, he's still an Alliance soldier. He'd never have someone else do something he wouldn't do himself. Fortunately, he seemed to have found a large open room and a console. She tried to hurry toward his location, but between her molten armor/skin combinations and multiple contusions, she moved slower than desired. Her heart nearly stopped when she found him. Anderson looked like a marionette…like on the cover of that old NSYNC cd she had in her teen years. She shook her head, clearing the memories of a past not her own. Her eyes flared and she saw him. The Illusive Man was standing before her, smirking as if he was the one in control. His body was covered in Reaper tech. His words oozed of their influence. 'So he truly was the puppet and not the master," she thought.

The next few minutes were some of the most intense of her life. She looked around, awestruck at their aftermath. Illusive Man lay in a pool of his own blood across the platform, still holding his sidearm. At least he'd had the decency to redeem himself from Reaper control, but Anderson…he sat beside her, breathing heavily as blood fled his abdominal gunshot wound. She cringed. Here sat the closest thing she had to a father, and it looked like she might lose him. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. She hadn't realized she had enough fluids left in her body to cry before now. He turned his head to her and smiled softly. "You did good, child. You did good." She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you, Anderson." Maybe now they could rest. She felt their breathing slow. Maybe this would be it. She sighed heavily…She hadn't realized she was so tired. Maybe she could just rest her eyes just a minute. Her omni-tool rang to life. So after all of this, the damn Crucible still hadn't fired. She groaned softly and tried to wake Anderson. Her eyes flicked to him. No movement from his chest; his breathing had stopped. As her eyes began to water, she rose and attempted to stagger to the console before her. She couldn't make it work. "Where's the damn easy button when you need one?" she thought and slapped the console in anger. Her eyes blinked slowly. The room was diming….and blurry…

But as she began to fade, she noticed the room was now becoming brighter. A small voice spoke beside her. Chloe looked up to see what appeared to be an apparition, no…a child. The small child in front of her proclaimed to be the Catalyst. A child? Now that was unexpected. Shepard attempted to stand up straight and found that she had more energy; she hurt less. Questioningly, she looked to the child. It explained that the Reapers had been created as a solution to help balance the destruction of organic life. The more the Catalyst spoke, the more she realized how wrong the "truth" she had thought she'd known was. The Reapers had been the answer, but now that an organic had made it here, the solution was no longer valid. Great. Now how do we stop them?

"You have four options before you. Three of which, you must selflessly sacrifice your life for. Your spirit and DNA will be used to aid in the process."

So this morning with Kaidan had been good-bye. "God, please ease his heart. I never meant for this to happen. Just…let him be happy again," she prayed. A tear slid down her cheek, and she let it.

"Your sacrifice is necessary, but do not worry. Your spirit, though integrated with your current form, will remain, Renae."

Shepard balked at the use of the name. It knew? "How do you know my name?"

"How would I not?" the child smiled. "You've already given selflessly of your own soul to embody the savior of your people. You are their avatar. In your sacrifice, they will live on."

The Catalyst was right. She alone was to decide the fate of the galaxy. The kicker was that no matter what she chose, she was forfeiting her life…but only three gave Renae the option to survive somehow. She knew that billions of lives hung in the balance. Chloe had been made for this moment, literally. She stared long and hard at the roads before her. Destruction would kill off all synthetic life. EDI and the Geth were synthetic. She smiled as she thought of how far they'd come in the development of their individual AI consciousness. They were as alive as any human being and deserved it. In honor of EDI, Legion, and the rest of the Geth, this could not be her choice. Control would allow her consciousness to be that of the Reapers…like the Jiminy Cricket of the Reaper collective. She frowned as she looked back at the Illusive Man's body. No, that wasn't an option either; no one should try to control the "borg". Not choosing a path left the galaxy's inhabitants where they were and would kill off everyone she loved. Synthesis was the only remaining choice. It would let organics and synthetics live together in harmony; everyone would become a hybrid. Though it may seem drastic to others, she knew it was right in her gut. It would even let EDI and Joker be together. She smiled widely. Maybe now the guy could move without breaking a few bones. The small child behind her smiled and nodded to her. It was time. Knowing she was paving a way to save her loved ones, she made her way down the path and willingly threw herself into the green light before her.

* * *

The white room was unbearably bright. She rubbed her eyes vigorously, trying to clear her vision. Something tapped her face. An IV line? Why was she hooked up to an IV? She looked around. A hospital room? How'd she get here? Hadn't she just been inside the remains of the Citadel? The heart monitor beside her made its own techno beat nearly as her heart rate soared. Eyes wild, she tried to access what she remembered. She'd just been inside the Citadel with the Catalyst. She'd chosen Synthesis and…Wait. The Catalyst had called her Renae. It said she'd live on. If she made it, then where was everyone? Did they make it? Was Kaidan ok? Oh God, what would happen with him now? She cringed. He had to be devastated. Would she ever be able to tell him?...As her thoughts became more focused, a slight murmur in the room distracted her. What was that noise? Her eyes flicked to the TV across the room from her. The sound was turned down, but she could still tell there was talking. Her eyes widened at the screen. Liara was speaking before a crowd of hundreds…no, thousands. What was going on, and why was she crying? The screen panned the crowd; Garrus, Tali, James, Kaidan, EDI, Joker, and many of her closest friends were in the audience. Their faces were covered in red splotches and tears. What had happened? Her eyes flicked to the ticker at the bottom of the screen. This was a memorial service. She'd ask who had died, but who didn't die seemed a more appropriate question. They'd lost Mordin, Thane, Anderson, and so many more. Her heart could barely contain it. That's when she saw it…the words that damn near stopped her own heart. "Live from Vancouver, Canada: Dr. Liara T'soni speaks at Commander Chloe Shepard's funeral." Her jaw dropped. So it had happened. If Chloe was dead, then…Sitting up, she ran her fingers through her hair in frustration, startled when it was longer than she remembered. She threw back the blankets, even more puzzled at her legs. Had she gained weight? She leaned forward and placed her hand on her thigh. Scars! She hadn't seen a scar on her since before she…Movement to her left caught her eye. She looked over her shoulder at the large single pane window. Her eyes meet the wild-eyed reflection of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed young woman. Shock turned to happiness. She'd survived. Chloe Shepard may no longer be here, but Renae Parker was not yet gone. The galaxy was saved. There would be no more pretending…no more…She frowned as the door to her right opened, revealing a rather pleased Miranda Lawson.

"Welcome home, Reni," she smiled. "We've got work to do. Hackett says you get a short rest and then it's off to N7 training. It's time you really joined the team. You feeling up for an adventure, kiddo?"

Her eyes twinkled in reply. This was really happening. "Bring it."


	9. Chapter 8: Feel the Rhythm

_**Bioware owns Mass Effect and its characters. Renae is my doppleganger. **_

_**Thank you, everyone, for your comments. My fellow Shega fans, my heart dropped when I wrote the Kaidan/Chloe sequence last chapter. I used to be a hardcore Shenko fan, but then ME3 came…and with it, the deliciousness that is Lt. James Vega. I'm such a sucker for Latin men. ;) Also, my apologies for the rushed feel before now. I literally ran all three games in seven chapters, eight if you count the prologue. The bulk of this story takes places from here on out, so expect more characterization. I hope you enjoy watching James and Renae as much as I do. Also, I just realized that my well placed lines separating segments in Microsoft Word were not showing up here. *mumbles obscenities* I tried to re-upload the chapters to fix it. Then I realized I just had to edit them in the document after I uploaded it. *face palm* Thank you for baring with me. **_

"So help me, God…If that cat doesn't shut up, Miranda will be minus a pet," Renae grumbled as she rolled over in bed. She'd finally just fallen asleep when Miranda's cat, Cleopatra, had decided to sit smack dab in the middle of the hallway and start yowling for attention. She huffed. It wasn't really the cat's fault she was awake. Of all the habits to carry over from childhood, she had to retain not being able to sleep when she was anxious. A meow rang from the hall. The young blonde groaned and slammed her fist into the pillow beside her face. The clock by her bed read 6:30 AM. She groaned and kicked her legs, giving into a momentary childish tantrum. "Fine. I'm up," she mumbled. Once she was awake, there was no going back to sleep. She might as well do something productive. Throwing back her blankets, Renae hopped out of bed. Her toes scrunched in the plush carpet. Sliding on her omni-tool, she tapped the room's window control, opening the curtains over the sliding glass door. Beyond was the balcony that connected her and Miranda's bedrooms. Moving in with Randa had given Renae the ability to reintegrate to the world around her after Synthesis. Early morning light from the new day filled her bedroom and illuminated the faint blue patterns woven in her skin. As she stretched her arms over her head, she admired how the light reflected off the designs. Synthesis had added the markings in various patterns and colors to all life, synthetic and organic. It reminded her vaguely of the Fable games she'd played in her youth; the more magic her character had used, the more brightly the patterns shown. Her own illuminated brilliantly when she used her biotics. A smile crept along her lips. Post war training had brought her fighting style and speed up to par with the other applicants in the N7 program. Renae hoped her time as Commander Shepard would help when training started tomorrow. Oh, that's right. Today was Sunday. Miranda had a meeting with Hackett at Alliance R&D today. That explains why little Cleo was so vocal; she was lonely. As if to confirm her suspicions, the cat swirled around her feet as soon as she opened her bedroom door. "Hey, pretty girl. Your momma will be home later. I promise." Cleo purred as Renae stroked behind her ears. "You know, I used to have dogs. They liked it when I scratched behind their ears, too." She smiled at the memories. Dogs were loyal, caring, and snuggly. Hers had kept her sane when her mom passed; her lab had even taken to accompanying her on early morning jogs. Wait! She could do that today. It'd been forever since Renae had jogged in the morning. "Sorry, Cleo." Aunt Reni's gonna step outside for just a bit." Looking at the window, "It's been too long."

* * *

The early morning light from the open window caressed the N7 tattoo between his shoulder blades, alluding to the muscle definition beneath. Beads of sweat glistened along his biceps and upper body as the young man continued reps of push-ups. Birds chirped outside, adding to the rhythm of his movement. It was the music of the new day. The smell of the previous night's rain laced the air. He paused between sets, inhaling deeply. James had nearly forgotten what it felt like to be planet-side for this long. It felt good. He rose from the floor, wiping his hands along his well-defined abs. He crossed his living room to the kitchen and rested with his back against the counter. Waiting, he leaned back with his elbows on the counter; his N7 workout pants resting just below his hip bones. He wiggled his toes on the stone floor. The coffeepot chirped. Finally!

After grabbing a cup, James headed over to his window to take in the day. The sun's rays reflected off the faint red lines emblazing his skin. He was still getting used to them. So much had happened since he'd seen Shepard disappear into the Catalyst's beam. He had helped with the initial clean-up after the relay network exploded. There were thousands of former Reaper uglies and other aliens left behind that had needed help adjusting to life on Earth. His unit had helped them find places to live and jobs. It was humanitarian work, but after all the fighting, it felt good to just stop and help. He'd even visited with his uncle. A smiled crossed Lt. Vega's lips as he lifted his coffee cup to them. Knowing that there was still family here and worth fighting for made getting up every day worth it. Something had to be. There had to be a justification for Shepard dying. He cringed. Losing her had been its own version of a nightmare. The funeral had been absolute torture. Leaning on friends like Scars and Doc had been necessary just to make it through the days that followed, but the one that really killed him was Major Alenko. The young man shook his head, trying to not see him. That poor guy looked so defeated that James had stopped giving him ugly nicknames. It didn't feel good to speak ill of the damaged, and man was that hombre damaged. The last time James had seen Kaidan, he eyes looked soulless. Like the bar was open, but nobody was dancing. He frowned. One day, he hoped Kaidan would find some peace and be able to get back to his life. Chloe would've wanted that. Movement caught his eye. He glanced up and smiled. This was different, but definitely nice. A young Caucasian woman was jogging down the trail through the apartment complex. Her long blonde hair was held in a tight ponytail. Her black jogging shorts and tank top clung to her body. She must have been outside awhile from the way her skin glistened. Even from his apartment, he could make out the subtle definition of the muscles in her legs and the faint blue of what Doc had called synthesis markings. He probably should've paid more attention when she'd tried to explain what they meant before, but he didn't understand all the techno-jargon she, Tali, and Garrus used. Focusing on the beauty before him, he realized that he hadn't been home much before the past few weeks. Maybe he'd missed the new neighbor before now. He playfully eyed her over his cup and smiled. Maybe when training was over, he'd go ask her out. He smiled. It'd been forever since he had been out on a real date. Hell, it'd been awhile since he'd even really kissed a girl, not that he'd openly admit that. He had a reputation to uphold. The last one had been before he met…His stomach grumbled, pulling him back from his train of thought. "Ok. Ok. Calm down, buddy. I'll feed you," he said to himself. His com pinged. So Scars and the Major wanted to catch dinner with him before he left? He knew Kaidan and he both could probably use a night out. Garrus must be trying to find a way keep busy while letting Sparks and Doc have a girls' night out, too. Turning from the window, he rolled his shoulders, stretching the freshly worked muscles within. The sun illuminated his N7 tattoo between his shoulder blades. He cracked his neck and smiled. Tonight might be just the thing he needed before getting back in the saddle of training.

* * *

The sound of shoes slapping the asphalt, birds chirping, and steady breathing formed an outdoor symphony. She paused momentarily, resting her hands on her thighs as she breathed. Yeah, she was in shape, but out of practice on running. She chuckled breathlessly and tapped her omni-tool, adjusting the music coming through her headphones. Miranda had given her a huge data file of music from the 1970s through the early 2000s on her last birthday. She had transferred a copy of it on her omni-tool to take with her to N7 training, but it came in handy today. The band Lifehouse filled her ears. Renae lifted her face to the sun as a breeze caressed her skin and sighed. She threw her arms out as if to embrace the wind. Strands of hair fell loose from her long ponytail, tickling her face. She sneezed and laughed. Allergies? Still? You'd think mankind would have a cure for that by now. Her com chimed. Miranda was going to be late, but wanted to have dinner with her, Tali, and Liara at the Mexican cantina across the road from their home. Pinging her reply and seeing margaritas in her future, Renae began her jog back.

* * *

"Hey, bartender! Two 'ritas on the rocks and two shots of Cuervo, please." Renae leaned up against the bar, with her back to the crowd. Miranda was right. Coming here tonight was a great idea. She could use one last night on the town before she left tomorrow. She glanced back at the table. Miranda and Liara were swapping stories about their time serving on the Normandy. Tali, poor little Tali, was in denial about her low alcohol tolerance. She was hiccupping as she laughed. Maybe it was time to close off that "emergency induction port" as she called it. Renae through back her head as she laughed. A sudden blast of warm air from the front door being opened caressed her spine, moving the edges of her top and revealing the tiniest portion of a tattoo on her hip. She'd gone out and gotten it with Miranda when she found out about the N7 program. She'd figured that if Vega could handle it, why couldn't she? He had cracked jokes with Shepard about matching tattoos after all. At least she saw things through. Chuckling, she thought, "That man never had made good on his flirting…the wuss." A whistle sang from the far side of the room. "Why'd I let Randa talk me into wearing this getup?" she thought. Miranda had raided her own wardrobe for this. Something about not letting her look like hermit. A short, black, leather skirt began approximately ¾ of the way up her thigh and hung on her hips. The scrap of clothing posing as her shirt was an open-backed midnight blue halter top that both made her eyes pop and accentuated her cleavage. It even embellished the faint blue patterns running along her skin. The crowd pulsed around her. She fought back a cringe. Inside, she felt like a blood bag in a room of vampires. Externally, she didn't show it. Her time as Commander Shepard reinforced an air of "don't fuck with me" that kept most of the creepers at bay. A low whistle the direction of the recently opened door elicited an eye roll from Renae. "This is the last time I let her dress me like some Asari maiden," she mumbled.

* * *

His eyes adjusted to the darkened cantina. The room smelled of sweat, booze, cilantro, and citrus. He was home. "Thanks, man. I needed a night out like this," he said, elbowing Garrus. The Turian nodded in reply.

"I'm just glad this place serves food that I can eat, too."

"You know you would rather just have the booze, Scars."

"You know me too well, Jimmy," Garrus laughed. He glanced over at Kaidan, whose eyes were casing the room and appeared to have settled on a group of women. "You ok?"

"Did you tell Tali that you planned on coming here for a guys' night out?"

"No. Why?"

Kaidan laughed dryly. "Cause your woman's in the corner with Miranda and Liara."

Garrus chuckled. "Go figure. We can go somewhere else if you guys want."

Vega's eyes scanned the crowd. That had to be an angel at that bar. She wore six inch heels with a deliciously short leather skirt. He was definitely a leg guy. A low growl rumbled in his chest, earning an odd glance from his compadres. An open backed shirt hugged her torso and long golden curls barely fell to her shoulder blades. Her shirt rustled as the door opened again behind him, revealing just the hint of what almost looked like an N7 tattoo playing peek-a-boo with the top of her skirt. A low whistle popped from his lips before he could stop it. "Uh, guys. I think it's perfectly ok if we stay here. We're all friends, right? The more the merrier."

Puzzled by his behavior, Kaidan and Garrus shrugged at each other, but made their way over to their friends. Greetings were exchanged. Garrus wrapped his arms around Tali before placing a soft kiss on her helmet. James swore heard her giggle from across the room. They were so happy together. One day, he'd find that, too. He glanced at the bar. Hell, maybe he'd find it today.

* * *

Renae sat her right elbow on the bar and rested her head in her hand. She strummed the fingers on her left hand rhythmically along the bar top. Unconsciously, she swayed her hips to the Latin beat from the band in the corner. Dancing. Now that was something she hadn't done in forever. She closed her eyes, allowing the rhythm she heard to roll across her form until he spoke.

"Una ronda de tequila para mi y para la hermose mujer a mi lado, por favor."

She knew that smoky tone anywhere. Fortunately, he didn't know her. Eyes still closed, she smirked. This, she could have fun with. "No, gracias. Puedo ordenar mis propias bebidas."

Wait. Did she just respond to him in Spanish? He looked over at her. She had beautiful patterns of blue that ran along her skin. The midnight blue of her halter top enhanced them and teased unmercifully along her chest. His eyes slowly worked up her body, meeting her own for the first time. It was like looking into the ocean. They were pools of deep blue, speckled with flakes of gold. Her pale skin carried faint traces of freckles from summers past. Her full lips were a beautiful soft rose color. Her eyebrows were arched playfully and her eyes twinkled. His jaw dropped. The runner from the park. Wow. Of all the beings he never thought he'd see here tonight. She was an angel.

"Hey, buddy. You ok?"

James shook his head and inhaled. Oxygen, yeah. Keep doing that, hombre. You can't forget to breath when you see a pretty girl. "Yeah, uhm…I..uh."

"Cat got your tongue, Lieutenant?"

His eyes snapped right at the familiar accent. "Miranda, it's nice to see you here." The young biotic stood with her arms crossed under her chest, head to the side, and smirking. He had to take the bait. "I'm a little busy right now, Agent Lawson, but may I help you?"

She snickered. "Nice to see you've met my cousin, Renae."

Cousin? That explains the hotness factor. He smoothed his facial features and tried to regain his composure. He opened his mouth to speak, but the angel beat him to it.

"Yeah. We met. He put his foot in his mouth before he introduced himself though." Her bell-like laugh rang throughout the bar. She stuck out her hand. "You know how to dance, big boy?"

He noticed her eyes sweeping across his chest as it rumbled with his laugher. Did he know how to dance? He extended his hand to engulf her much softer and smaller one. "Lil' mama, if you only knew the moves I could teach you. Name's James. James Vega." He led her across the dance floor as the band started a faster dance number.

* * *

He lay down in bed that night, staring at his ceiling. Tonight was definitely one of the most amazing days of his life. He'd met an angel, but by the way she moved her body in time with his…He was pretty sure angels didn't torture men like that. He groaned as he rolled over, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in. Not that he could if he kept relieving the way her body had molded to his during that song. "Ok, hombre. Stop thinking about her body for five minutes. Lil' Jimmy needs to sleep this one off." She'd had a twinkle in her eye. He hadn't seen that since Shepard. He inhaled slowly. Could this have been it? Was this steady thud in his chest what the beginnings of love felt like? No…no way. He was leaving for N7 tomorrow. Why would fate really be this cruel? "Aye, dios mio. Go to sleep, you idioto. Tomorrow is gonna be a busy day," he mumbled. "You'll be gone at least six months. If you see her again when you get home, then you can deal with these loco ideas of yours."


	10. Chapter 9: Welcome to Training

_**Bioware owns Mass Effect and its characters. Renae is my dream child. **_

_**Thank you, everyone, for your comments. I can't wait to see N7 Training. In honor of my recent kick of reading Thane fanfics, I shall have to say "I look forward to the memories."**_

"_Why couldn't she look at me like that? I'd fight for her. Hell, I'd die for her." His heart ached. He may be the one dancing with Chloe, but she was still looking over his shoulder at Kaidan. He moved closer and their bodies met. It was the absolute hottest thing he'd done in weeks. Salsa music filled the room; the smell of sweat and lust hung in the air like a cloud. He'd been content to just dance until he'd seen that look. His eyes widened in utter shock. Was he kidding himself or had she just redirected that at him? He glanced around, checking to see if anyone else had seen that. "Was Kaidan actually dancing with Liara? Did I miss something here?" he wondered._

_Turning his head, his eyes caught the beautiful emerald orbs before him. God, she was intoxicating, especially when her mouth did that little pout. Her eyes twinkled and a sly smile crept across her face. Somewhere in his head, a nagging feeling tugged. He brushed it aside. Chloe had never looked at him like that before. He reveled in it. She curved an arm around his neck and with the other, brushed her nails slowly down his abdomen. A low groan filled his chest. He lifted his head to exhale before returning his gaze to hers. _

"_Lola, you can't just do that to a man. It gets his hopes up and confuses him all at the same time." She smiled, seductively and spun around, crouching slightly. Using her hand that was cupped around the back of his neck for leverage, she slid her back up along the contours of his chest as they danced. James bit his lip, trying to remind himself of his rank and to not roll his hips into her the way his body was screaming about. _

"_I'm very well aware of what I'm doing, James," she purred into his ear. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. He stared at her, eyes wide, as she spun again to face him. He dipped his head as she beckoned him. Lips nearly touching, she whispered, "The question is, what are you going to do about it?" He moaned. What else could he do? This woman was pushing him to the edge of his control…and in front of the man she supposedly loved. Damn it. His grandmother had raised him with a conscious…and it wouldn't allow this. Abruptly, he pulled away and tried to regain his composure._

"_Commander, I should probably go." _

_Her eyes flared and she pushed him into a vacant room, before closing the door behind him. "Not on your life, Vega." Her biotics softly illuminated her skin in a blue hue as she pushed him back onto the couch on the opposing wall, before straddling his hips. _

_He was absolutely speechless. The Savior of the known universe was in the beginnings of what had to be the hottest lap dance he'd ever had. He groaned in frustration. Today was not a good day to wear these pants. Especially if she kept doing that…Shepard lightly ground her hips against his before planting a row of slow seductive kisses along the tattoo on his neck. He tried to hold his resolve until she began nibbling along the same path. His synthesis markings glowed, nearly pulsing a deep red in time with his heartbeat. Closing his eyes, he instinctively encompassed her thighs with his hands. "God, Lola. You're killing me."_

"_Dying happy, Vega?" That accent…was not hers. His eyes flared open. Where his Lola had sat before he closed his eyes was now Miranda's smoking hot blonde cousin from the club. Her eyes and intricate patterns woven across her skin glowed a deep blue as she pulled back and smirked at him. How had she gotten here? Where was…Her eyes twinkle? They're beautiful…She leaned in and her lips claimed his. He moaned. "Aye, dios mio. She tasted like lime and tequila". _

_She pulled back to speak. "James, you have to help me."_

_He shivered from her stare. Her eyes had gone from heated to frightened instantaneously. He brushed back a loose bit of bangs that were touching her mouth, tucking them behind her ear. "What's wrong, princess? What's got you scared? You know you've got nothing to be afraid of with me here." He tried to smirk, hoping she'd laugh. Instead, she placed her hands on his should and opened her mouth to speak, but only a loud warning sound emitted from her lips. "What the fuck?"_

Vega jumped up in bed and looked around. From the looks of it, his alarm clock had been going off for some time now. He slapped it in response before shaking his head. _"Damn, Jimmy. I dunno what all you drank last night, but lay off that mierdo."_ Where the hell had that dream come from? He hadn't had a dream about Shepard in forever. He brushed a hand down his face before looking down. _"Alright, buddy. You just calm down. We're going to be in training for months. No more dreaming about this girl or Lola, for that matter, until we get back. Comprendo? I'll talk to her when we get back. Scout's honor….just cool it."_

* * *

Renae cracked an eye open as her alarm beeped to life. 0600 felt earlier than normal today. Her bedside light blinked on, casting shadows along the room. She stretched out in bed and groaned. She hated the feel of yesterday's activities on her skin. _"Must take shower,"_ she thought and rubbed her eyes. She sighed as she threw back the blankets, revealing her black, cotton tank top and pajama shorts. She'd changed into them the minute she had gotten home, but as she pushed some stray hair from her face, she swore she could still smell him. She inhaled deeply. He smelled earthy and spicy all at the same time. She let loose a small giggle. _"Poor Vega"._ She was pretty sure he'd gone home frustrated. She rose from bed and looked in the mirror. At least he'd had bought that she was Miranda's cousin. Their pale skin and her ability to pick up accents had helped. She'd lived with Miranda long enough now that her voice twanged similarly. She shook her head. Hopefully, she wouldn't have to back pedal on that one later. Miranda had been created by her dad, and not in the normal sense. Oh well, it would be dealt with if it ever arose. She opened her door and crossed the hall to the bathroom.

"Cleo, get out of here!" That cat seemed determined to always be under foot. Today, she was perched on the bathroom counter, like it was her throne. The queen yowled in reply and swished her tail as she hopped down to vacate the room. Yeah. There had been swishing last night. Renae blushed as she stepped into the shower. She placed her hands on the wall and her head under the stream. The water beat down on her body, swirling the night before down the drain. As its warmth began to knead the tension out of her muscles, she began to reflect. Last night, she'd cut loose for the first time in forever. It'd been drinks with the girls until he showed up. Vega had to be the biggest flirt on all of Earth, but last night he'd seemed different. He used to be her friend, well the Commander's friend anyway. She'd even sparred with him as Chloe. He'd always been light on his feet, but last night he was something else. When James danced, his body took on a fluid quality that flowed to the rhythm. She knew how to dance and wasn't too bad, but _damn_, that man was talented. Liara had described their movements, at one point, as two souls in one body. It'd drawn some intense stares from others in the cantina, but his presence alone had commanded her attention. She'd been able to hide herself deep inside the delicious distraction of his touch, especially once she realized who was watching. She hadn't seen Kaidan come in with Vega and Garrus, but when her deep blues had met his whiskey browns, her heart had nearly stopped. James had saved the day without knowing it. _"Like my personal Superman," she thought. _He'd lightly tugged on her arm, spinning her around until she reconnected with his chest. It was definitely easier to give over to the carnal feeling of being pressed up against a man like that. Just wow. She could've washed clothes on his abs from how his body felt against her. She blushed again. _"Stop acting like a school girl, Reni. You don't have time for this. Hell, you've still got to deal with these feelings for Kaidan,"_ she groaned in annoyance. _"Just get in and finish your training. You're going to be gone for months anyway."_ She jumped as the hot water began to run out. _"Damn this tiny apartment water heate!"_ She hurriedly showered and exited the bathroom.

Miranda was seated at the kitchen table, blowing softly on the coffee cup she held between her hands. Her face lifted as Renae entered the room. "Morning, Reni."

"Morning, Randa," she murmured as she grabbed a bowl of cereal and fixed her coffee. Her bathrobe swished about her knees as she carried breakfast over to the table.

Miranda glanced over at her roommate. Last night had been, well, interesting. She hadn't expected the guys to be there, especially not Kaidan. That man never did anything other than work these days. Her mouth twitched into a frown. He deserved to get out and have fun once in awhile, too. Major Alenko had taking Shepard's death harder than the rest of the team. She was just glad that his presence hadn't spooked Renae. That girl was definitely in love with him still. They'd spent many a night up late talking about it, always while eating some form of sweet, chocolate substance in their apartment. Then again, with last night came the addition of James Vega. _"What was all that about?"_ she wondered as she looked up. The young blonde chewed cereal in silence; she was still trying to wake up so it would seem. Miranda peered at her over her coffee. Taking a sip, she asked, "So, who knew Vega could move like that, huh?" A blush flushed the blonde's cheeks, surprising her roommate. Renae was blushing…over Vega? "Reni….do you like him?"

Her blue eyes flashed. Like? Is that what it was? No. It was just being that close to a man for the first time since, well, Kaidan before the Catalyst event. "Vega? No. He's just a big flirt."

So she was gonna go that route, huh? Two could play at that. "A big flirt who moves like an exotic dancer." Laughter filled the room.

* * *

It was Day 2 of training for those seeking an N7 commendation. Yesterday, everyone had spent the day finding their assigned lodgings and unpacking. Today, the real work began. A smile crept along James Vega's face as he pushed open the gym door. There were to be a few ice-breaker exercises between the various fighting styles. His session wasn't until later on today, but he'd felt an urge to get into the gym and blow off some steam. At 0600, he'd expected to find the gym fairly empty, but he could just make out the sound of a woman going to town on a punching bag. He grinned, thinking back to when he'd tried to teach Diana Allers how to use one on the Normandy. Maybe the next six months didn't have to be too dull after all.

Turning the corner revealed a young woman approximately 5'5" in height, with a long blonde ponytail, donned in a black tank top/capri set. He grinned at the amount of force she used to hit the bag. Her synthesis markings were glowing deep blue, pulsing in time with her heartbeat. Liara had once told him that the markings were dependent upon a person's natural affinities, and that the level of glow was dependent upon adrenaline and heart rate. If that was any indicator, she'd been going at that bag for awhile, and she could really pack a punch. Maybe she'd like a sparring partner for a change. He was just the man for that job. "Hey, senorita. Want to try that on a target that can hit back?" No response. He frowned. He'd hoped to have elicited at least a hello from the woman. Maybe she was too focused to hear him. He reached out and touched her lightly on the shoulder.

Renae had her headphones in. She always did at the gym. That had to explain why she hadn't heard this unknown douche of a man who touched her. Whirling around, she popped him with an uppercut that rang of biotics. She hadn't planned on him trying to grab her left arm as he stumbled back, but recovered well. A firmly placed kick of her right leg landed square in his chest, throwing him to the floor. Fists raised, she finally looked down at her opponent before letting out a surprised rush of word vomit. "Vega? Holy shit, man! You can't just sneak up on a girl like that. Dude, I'm so sorry." She stuck out her hand in apology and to help him up.

"_Aye, dios mio,"_ he thought as recognition filled his eyes. _"Lawson's cousin is in training with me, too? Damn, man. She's cute when she's flustered…Wait is she apologizing?"_ He fought back a chuckle. Two can play at this game and after that dream the other night, he felt like playing. As he grabbed her outstretched hand, he pulled her to the floor and spun.

Renae looked up in surprise. She was flat on her back on the floor. Vega hovered over her, with an arm on either side of her shoulders. She stared up at him questioningly.

"Never underestimate your opponent, Cinderella," he chuckled.

As close as he was, she could feel his laugh resonating in his chest. _"Cinderella? Really?"_ She fought back a smirk. _"So he thinks he has me, huh? Cocky bastard…I'll show him."_ She smiled, softly…and let loose a biotic shockwave, throwing him to the wall. "Cinderella? My name's Renae, Jimmy boy," she cooed across the room.

James shook his head as he pulled away from the wall. _"Wow. That girl was full of surprises. No one's done that to me since…since Shepard when she lost her title."_ He stared at her quizzically; her blue glow fading. _"Where had this girl been hiding before now? She's a freakin' spitfire!"_ Clapping from across the room pulled him back from his thoughts.

"Nice to see you've met Lt. Commander Parker, Lieutenant," called Admiral Hackett.

"_Lt. Commander? Now I know I missed that one. There's no fucking way, man. That minx is full of surprises!"_ He raised an eyebrow before saluting Hackett.

"Hackett, sir," she saluted. He nodded at both in reply and then walked over to hug Renae.

"Did you settle in ok?"

"Yes, sir. Miranda stuck around for a little while yesterday after she dropped me off. Everything has gone smoothly so far." She glanced over at Vega and stuck out her tongue.

He fought back a laugh, earning him a look from Hackett. "Sir, you know Miranda's cousin?"

Hackett raised an eyebrow at Renae, who seemed very interested in her shoe laces all of the sudden. "Cousin? What did you ladies tell this guy?"

She wrung her hands behind her back before looking back at the Admiral. She looked years younger when she did that. "It was necessary at the time, Admiral. Do you think anyone would've danced willingly with the Admiral's niece?" Her eyes flashed a pleading look toward Hackett, hoping he would follow along.

Vega inhaled sharply. _"Niece? Mierdo! Pendejo, you've really stepped in it this time. She is untouchable. Do not pass GO. Do not enter. Damn, just don't even look at her. From now on, pretend she's your sister. Got it?"_ he thought. Eyes wide, he shook his head before looking back at the two before him. "Niece?" he asked quietly.

Hackett chuckled. "You could say that, Lieutenant. Rest easy. She can hold her own; I have no doubt. However, I am a bit protective. She needs a good friend like you to keep an eye out for her."

"With all due respect sir, if she keeps using biotics like that, she won't need much backup." Wow, her smile was beautiful. He couldn't help but return it.

"Every good vanguard needs a soldier, just like every good soldier needs a tech specialist." Vega nodded. He couldn't argue against Hackett's logic. It was damn scary, though, to hear him spout Shepard's philosophy like that. "Keep an eye on her, Vega. She's all I've got."

He nodded. "Aye, aye, sir."

Hackett looked over to where Renae stood, her arms crossed defensively across her chest. He knew his protectiveness was probably getting under her skin. However, as one of the few people who knew her connection to Shepard, he felt it was justified. She'd come here, because she wanted to prove something of herself. He smiled before addressing them both. "I do have some special instructors coming in to help with your training. Vega, you'll recognize some of your old crew." Renae's eyes widened. "Don't worry. They won't be here until later in training. We've got to get you guys comfortable working in units first."

"Sir, if I may ask, who is coming?" She tried to hide her surprise, but her heart was thumping out of her chest.

"Spectre Alenko and Agent Lawson for starts. I'm trying to pull some strings to see if we can bring in some of the non-Alliance crew from the Normandy. I know they're itching to find something to do these days." He paused. "Now, if you two will excuse me, I have a meeting to get to in order to coordinate their arrival."

Vega smiled and saluted the Admiral. "_So Major and the Don, huh?" _When Hackett has first told them the truth about Miranda, it'd taken his team awhile to absorb that she was and always had been Alliance to the core. Her deep undercover role within Cerberus had saved their backsides more than once. He had begun to think of her as a wise mob boss, organizing the group behind the scenes. It was beginning to sound like N7 training would be a big family reunion, minus the Reapers. It would…His eyes paused on Renae. She looked pale. _"Was she nervous? It couldn't be about Miranda. Maybe Kaidan? Neh. He's just a big softy…or he was before Shepard died. Hmmm…Maybe it's the whole Spectre thing."_ He playfully tapped her shoulder. "Hey, Cinderella. Don't worry. It'll be fine. Just stick with me. I won't let the big bad Spectre hurt you." He was taken aback by how haunted her eyes were when they finally rose to meet his. Shaking it off, he excused himself to the punching bag Renae had been using earlier.

She stared at his retreating figure and wondered where all the oxygen in the room had gone. If they were coming here, she'd have to face Kaidan eventually. She'd need a friend to talk to, just to keep her sanity. "I'll have to hold you to that, LT," she let out on the ghost of a whisper.


	11. Chapter 10: Dancing with Cinderella

_**Bioware owns Mass Effect and its characters. Renae is my homegirl. **_

_**Hang with me. This one is a long one, but It is chock full of Vega deliciousness!**_

Miranda quietly sipped her coffee and tried to focus on the mission report in front of her, but to no avail. Her eyes flicked up at the bubbly distraction before her. Renae had practically been bouncing out of her seat all morning. Today was her first mission…her first command in training. An instructor was going with this team due to its small size and the nature of the mission. _"Alenko doesn't know what he's getting himself into." _She chuckled softly. When his name had been drawn, she'd had to keep from laughing. _"Poor guy. He's going to be trapped with Renae and James. Shoot, poor third operative. Those two are explosive to be around."_ She looked over at her roommate. Renae had practically inhaled her breakfast, so that she could study her mission report. However, studying for her involved bobbing in her chair and quietly murmuring lyrics to whatever music was pouring from her headphones. Miranda shook her head and smiled._ "That girl can multi-task like nobody's business."_

Today was a Needtobreathe day. She'd been listening to their CD, "The Heat," on repeat. The tracks energized her, and boy, today would she need the energy. She closed her eyes and let the familiarity of the music wash over her…until she felt it. Her eyes snapped open and telltale markings glowed a soft blue along her forearms. Someone was behind her. Miranda slowly shook her head no in warning to the approaching assailant. With a knowing smile, Renae's eyes flashed a brilliant blue. She turned and lifted James from the ground with her biotics. "Oh honey, you're gonna have to wake up a lot earlier than that to get the jump on me," she laughed.

"I tried to warn you, Vega, but you wouldn't take the hint," chuckled Miranda.

"Hey, you can't blame a guy for trying. I'll get the upper hand one of these days, Princess." James looked sheepishly down at the ground, now a good two feet away. "Damn it, _chica._ Put me down."

Renae licked her lip and smiled slyly. "You want down? Ok, as you wish, my dear." A thud resonated in their corner of the mess hall as Vega dropped to one knee with a grunt.

"Was that really necessary, Renae? You can't just throw biotics at him like that," said Miranda, shaking her head to keep from smiling. She was supposed to be an instructor right now, but couldn't help but laugh at the silliness of the situation.

"My spidey senses were tingling." No reaction. "There was a disturbance in the force?" Blank stares._"Sheesh, nobody here catches my references…ever!"_ She sighed, exasperated. "Look, I took out the threat. I think it was a great lesson for _someone_ to stop creeping up on me," she narrowed her eyes at Vega.

He folded his arms across his chest and rolled his eyes. "You know, you could just trust me. It's not like I'm gonna bite you or anything, princess."

She made a show of rolling her eyes back. It was beginning to look like she wouldn't get any reading down here with the Hulk around. _"I may as well head for the armory and get ready. Those reports won't change from the first gazillion times I read them."_ Renae stood up from the table. "Trust…Trust is earned, Mr. Vega." She turned to walk away, swishing her hips as she went.

Without turning his head, his eyes followed her as she exited. She paused momentarily before calling over her shoulder, "And you don't earn it by staring at my ass when I leave, LT. Bad form, _hombre._"

He snapped his mouth closed. _"How'd she? Damn it, mujer!"_ A quiet voice and hand on his arm brought him back.

"James, I find myself in the odd position of having to ask for your help." The familiarity of the words rang in her ears.

"For you? Anything. Whatcha need?" he grinned.

She swallowed, searching for the words. "I need you to look out for Reni today."

"You ok, Miranda? You look paler than normal," James said, trying to break the tension.

Her gaze softened. "Yeah, I'm ok. It's just that, other than Orianna, she's all I've got now. She's really hyped up about this mission. I trust her to do her best, but it couldn't hurt to have the biggest Marine I know looking out for her, right?" She smiled.

He chuckled at her backhanded compliment. "No problem, Don. I've got her back."

She raised her eyebrow. "Don?"

"Yeah, you know…like in a mob. Your reach goes further than people give you credit for." He smiled. "I know you saved our butts more than most people want to give to admit. You had guts working undercover at Cerberus."

"_So, LT's one of those deep thinker types. Huh…I wonder if he…No, I doubt it." _She smiled. "Thanks, James. Hey, don't let me keep you. I know you're itching to get to the armory."

"Definitely. I'll see you around." He turned to leave when it hit him. _"Reni…She called her Reni. Isn't that the name in Shepard's book?"_

* * *

Two days of nothing except recon duty. James didn't know what was worse, the waiting or the fact that he was walking on eggshells, thanks to his rather vivid imagination. He shot a glance at Renae, who sat cross-legged on the ground, cleaning her dismantled sniper rifle at her feet. He'd never figured her for a sniper, but he'd known at least one Vanguard who'd favored it before. Shepard had been a damn good shot, too. He closed his eyes, trying to forget the recurring dream from last night. He couldn't get Shepard and Renae out of his head. It didn't make any sense, because he didn't met Renae after Shepard's funeral. They were nothing alike…well, at least physically. He leaned back against the tree behind him and smiled. She did have that same crinkle of her nose that was so damn cute on Chloe…and her eyes. Now there was something beautiful. They were blue and sucked you in like the depths of an ocean, especially when she was mad.

He chuckled softly, earning an odd look from Major Alenko. He opened his eyes at the sound. Oops. Fighting the urge to roll them at Kaidan, he glanced back at Renae. She appeared to be mumbling to herself while she worked. _"Does she always do that? Hmmm…" _If his _abuela's_ thoughts about dreams were any indication, these meant there was something haunting this _chica._ Maybe he should keep an eye out for her after all. "What's wrong, lil' mama?"

Her eyes popped to his momentarily before returning to her work. "Hmmm?"

"You're talking to yourself. Figured I'd better answer before you scare the techie and the Major. Gotta help you look normal somehow."

She rolled her eyes. "I was just keeping myself busy. When I need to pass time, I recite pieces of books or song lyrics sometimes. It's actually pretty relaxing."

He raised an eyebrow. It was an unexpected answer, but it rang of honesty and solemn times. He scooted closer, until he sat beside her on the ground. "What were you saying?"

She placed down her cleaning cloth and closed her eyes. As if a poetic trance, she spoke.

"Three rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,

Seven for the dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,

Nine for mortal men doomed to die,

One for the dark lord on his dark throne,

In the land of Mordor where the shadows lie.

One ring to rule them all, one ring to bind them.

One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

In the land of Mordor where the shadows lie."

He stared at her as a sudden uneasiness hit his chest. He recognized that poem. "Kinda morbid for out in the field, Cinderella. Why that one?"

She smiled softly, but her eyes dulled. "My mom drilled it into me as a kid. It was a part of her favorite book. Actually, it was the only part that ever really sunk in. I tried to start reading it probably a hundred times, but got bored with all the descriptiveness eventually. The movies were beautiful though."

His mouth went dry as he listened. How on earth? This made no sense. "What book was it?"

She frowned. "The Lord of the Rings…I used to have a copy, but it's come up missing." Her eyes glossed slightly. "My mom would kill me if she knew I'd lost her book…if she was still around that is. She died a long time ago." She sighed as she looked at him. _"Why's he looking at me like I'm some kind of leper? The mom thing was too much, huh? Crap…"_ She attempted a shrug. "Sorry about that, man. Just remembering."

He stared at the blonde before him. There was something there. She had to be connected to Chloe somehow. This was too weird. "It's ok. What are friends for?"

She chuckled. "Friends; is that what you'd call us...even after I kicked your tail?"

"Yeah, I think I'd like that. You're alright, Cinderella." He lightly bumped his knee against hers and winked.

She rolled her eyes. "One of these days, you're going to have to explain why you keep calling me that."

He smirked, crossing his arms. "You're not tough enough to be a Lola, and there was only one of her. Cinderella's a lady without a true family of her own, but she had guts to go after what she wanted, you know? I see that in you…and she was hot, so take it as a compliment."

She fought back a laugh, trying to cover the startle at hearing him use the name Lola. It'd been awhile. "I'll take it, ya big lug," she said as she punched his shoulder.

They laughed, earning a glare from Kaidan and a frightened glance from their tech partner. Straightening herself, Renae reached past James and offered her hand to the new kid. "My name's Renae. The big guy is James. What's your name?"

The young woman squeaked out a quick smile. In a thick English accent, she replied softly, "My name's Lieutenant Amanda Harold." She eyed Vega nervously. "Uhm…He's not gonna break something, is he?"

Renae looked back at Vega and grinned before replying. "Neh. It's only Tuesday. He only breaks things on Thursdays. You're good."

They all chuckled softly, earning an eye roll from their instructor. "Guys, keep it down. There are Batarians out here. Get your heads back in the game." The laughter stopped.

"_Man, Kaidan knows how to suck the fun out a room," thought Renae. "How'd I miss that one?…even if he is right."_

* * *

Adrenaline raced through her veins. Popping around cover, she threw a biotic pull at the closest hostile. She let loose a laugh when she heard Vega call back regarding a headshot in her headset. _"God, I've missed this."_ When Kaidan had chosen her to lead this excursion, she had been a bit nervous. Luckily, it really was like riding a bike. She and James had slid into a rhythm that easily rivaled theirs on the Normandy. Even the red shirt was bringing her A-game. _"Don't call her a red shirt. No Trekkie should call a comrade a red shirt, even if she is wearing red armor."_

Rear movement caught her eyes. "Amanda, cloak. There's a baddie on James' six that could use your special attention," she beckoned through her com. Seconds later, she heard the thud of Amanda taking the sneaky bastard to the ground. _"Kasumi, wherever you are, I miss you. This kid would fit right in with you."_

James was nearly laughing himself. He hadn't felt this alive in ages. Hell, he was genuinely having fun taking these guys down. Unfortunately, it didn't last. This group of rogue Batarians had teamed up with former Reaper husk uglies that didn't take to synthesis very well. _"Mierdo! Where'd all those hijos de putas come from? Damn it."_ He ducked behind cover as bullets rained down on his position. "Reni, heads up, more coming your way!"

"_Did he just call me Reni? I haven't heard that name in ages." _She looked around and watched as Lt. Harold's shields faltered. She took a hit in the shoulder and tried to hide behind a smaller boulder, but she was still taking fire. "_Crap, that looks bad. Stupid red armor…_" She cringed. "Amanda, are you ok?" The girl groaned slightly and shook her head. "Can you get to your medi-gel?" Another shake. _"Damn it! Wait, he's on the other side of her, maybe he can…"_ She pulse raced. "Vega! I need you to get to Amanda. She's been hit and needs cover fire until I can get to her…She can't get to her medi-gel."

Vega grunted as his shields waned and a bullet hit his shoulder plating, pushing his upper body backward. He ducked back behind the tree he'd previously used for cover. "Renae, I'm pinned here, _chica_. You're gonna have to get to her."

She growled in frustration. _"I've lost enough people. This is bullshit. This is…Wait a minute." _Looking up, she saw an opening. Facing her, Kaidan was crouched further back, beside a larger boulder, watching the battle. "Major Alenko, can you come here, please, sir?" she called. The man damn near materialized by her side, but was practically glaring at her from underneath his helmet visor.

He'd heard the pleading in her tone. As an instructor, he wasn't supposed to interfere unless things got ugly. This wasn't bad, yet. "You've gotta figure this out on your own, Parker. I'm just here to keep an eye on things."

Fighting the urge to slap her forehead, she started, "Major, would you just listen to me? She's pinned down and wounded. I just need you to…"

Kaidan rolled his neck, feeling a migraine coming. This girl was turning out to be a bigger frustration than anything. She was just an N6 and a Lt. Commander, but she wanted to order around a Spectre. She was…she was a lot like Shepard had been at first. He smirked. "Handle it, Parker. This is your command."

Unfortunately, her visor didn't prevent him from seeing her biting her lower lip to keep from ripping his head off. _"Seriously, Kaidan? You wanna pull this rank shit now? That girl could die because you. When will you stop ignoring an order, Alenko?" _She squared her shoulders. "Sir, did you belay Commander Shepard's orders when she told you to evacuate the Normandy?" She paused. _"Good, he remembers."_ "Were lives lost because you didn't move to help the team?"

His jaw dropped at the mention of Chloe and her death. "I…"

"Exactly. Now, Major, I need two singularities, there and there. Do you think you can do that for me? For her?"

"_The girl's right. Just cool your ego and help. Chloe would've ripped you a new one for hesitating." _Kaidan nodded in reply. "Aye, aye, Commander. On your mark."

She grinned at the familiar words. "James, come on big boy. I need you. Alenko's going to place a singularity at your 3 o'clock. Shoot anything it touches. Got it?"

"Aye, aye, Commander," he smirked. _"So Cinderella sassed the Major. The pendajo had it coming, wounded heart or not. Somebody needed help. Grow a pair, swallow your pride, and do it, man."_

"Amanda, hang in there. I'm coming your way." A faint groan was the only reply that she heard. Renae's throat constricted, worried she was too late. "Hit 'em, Kaidan!"

Shooting fish in a barrel…that's what it was. Between James' assault rifle and Renae's quick sniping skills, they took down everyone in the singularity field. Kaidan and James joined forces to help clean up the stragglers while Renae made a run for Amanda. She cradled the small woman against her to remain behind their cover. "Hang in there, Mandy. I've got you." She hit the medi-gel release on Amanda's uniform, hoping she hadn't been too late.

* * *

"That was fucking awesome," James whooped they stepped off the shuttle. Ahead of him, Renae removed her helmet and made her way down the ramp to the armory to put up her gear. _"Not so fast, sweetheart." _Creeping up behind her, he wrapped his arms around Renae's midriff and lifted her up in the air. Her childlike shriek filled the air.

"James Vega, so help me God if you don't put me down right this minute, I'll…"

Pulling her back against his chest, he breathed into her ear. "You'll what, kick me? I'm still in armor." She pouted in reply.

"You don't fight fair."

He laughed. "Fair? Honey, we kicked ass out there. It was awesome. Screw fair. You did great, Commander." With that, he spun, swinging her around in a circle, eliciting peals of laughter from her and some raised eyebrows from the room's occupants. From the shuttle door, Kaidan coughed, bringing the festivities to a halt. James lowered Renae back to the floor, her eyes locking on Kaidan as he walked toward her.

"What was that back there, Commander?"

Across the shuttle bay stood Miranda, Garrus, Tali, and Liara. They'd been catching up after their shuttle had landed, but conversation had ceased as the scene before them unfolded. Renae's blue eyes flared. _"You wanna play, Kaidan? You're not feeding me to some damn firing squad." _She saluted. "Sir, you stated the mission parameters were to get in, survey and destroy the rogue Batarian threat, and get home without casualties. Per your specifications, the mission was a success."

"_So she's spunky and knows how to toe a line? Chloe used to do that. Let's see if she can block this one." _Kaidan smiled coldly and crossed his arms in front of his chest before eyeing the young woman before him. "Without any outside help…You deliberately asked for my help on this mission."

Across the room, a whoosh of air left Miranda's lungs. Through gritted teeth, she called, "Major, is this necessary? Let them celebrate."

Kaidan shook his head. "Unfortunately, it is. Lt. Commander Parker has to learn to stay within the parameters she's given."

"_Are you kidding me? She just saved Amanda's butt. She kicked ass out there. This is bullshit." _Vega cleared his throat and stepped forward to speak, but stopped when a hand pushed back on his chest plate. He looked over to see Renae's eyes, burning like two balls of blue flame. Taking a cue from her, he stood back and mirrored Kaidan as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Major, the greatest Commander the Alliance has ever seen sometimes colored outside the lines to bring everyone home. Would we really be candidates for N7 if we didn't follow her example? If I'd let Amanda die there, I'd have tarnished the memory of Shepard and everything she stood for." Holding her head high, she finished, "and forgive the disrespect, Major Alenko, but I will not let her down. I needed your skills and used any means necessary to obtain them for the good of the mission. Thanks to your actions, we were able to get Amanda home and into the med bay." She gestured toward the door that Amanda had been rushed out as soon as they'd landed. "She now has the chance to make a speedy recovery and finish her training. That is what it means to be us. This is what it means to be a real N7." She smirked before looking over her shoulder at Vega. "Hey, Vega. Who's like us?"

He smiled and responded, "Damn few, and they're all dead."

She turned back to Kaidan. "Sir, I apologize if you feel that I did not meet the mission's parameters. However, I believe that I will have to humbly disagree based on the evidence I have presented."

Kaidan stared back at the young Marine in front of him. _"Lord, Chloe. You're still pushing me from the grave. I don't know who this girl is to you, but baby, she's got your fire." _He smiled softly and saluted the young Lt. Commander. "Well said, Parker. Consider your mission passed successfully." A smile plastered itself on her face as she saluted back. "Oh, and LT…"

Vega raised his eyebrow, but didn't move from his rather defensive position. "Major?"

Kaidan laughed. "Buy this girl a drink. She's earned it after today."

James smiled. "Aye, aye, Major." He looked over at a rather happy Renae. "Come on, Cinderella. You've earned yourself a round….but only on one accord?" She raised her eyebrow questioningly. "You've gotta bathe first. Girl, you reek." He laughed as she hit him in the arm. "Armor, babe…Not working."

She leaned forward, beckoning him with her finger. He leaned in, playing along, until she nearly purred in his ear. "Oh honey, you've gotta get out of that sometime. I'll be waiting." His cheeks flushed red, earning a laugh from Garrus across the room.

"Wow, Jimmy boy. I didn't know you could change colors like that."

He tried to laugh and play it off, but looked over his shoulder at Renae's retreating form. _"Damn..that girl's something else. She's gotta quit doing shit like that before this friend line gets blurry."_


	12. Chapter 11: Pretend Girlfriend

_**Bioware owns Mass Effect and its characters. Renae is my twinkie. ;) **_

_**This is my favorite chapter so far. Thank you, Krystin, for all your help. **_

_**Had to reload this one. Forgot to put in the line breaks originally. My apologies.  
**_

"Miranda! Where on earth did this number come from?"

"Oh my! That's a bit…Is that all of it?"

Tali seemed puzzled by the offending item of clothing currently held between Renae's thumb and index finger. She tried to smile through gritted teeth. "My thoughts exactly, Tali. However, I do not own clothing like this." She turned toward the offending party. "MIRANDA! What happened to the nice clothes I packed?"

Laying down on Renae's bunk, Miranda was grinning from ear to ear. She knew exactly where Renae's "nice" clothes were; they were at home, back in her closet where they belonged. While Renae had been out jogging one day, she'd gone out and bought some clothing that better suited her friend and packed those items instead. "Hmmm? Oh come on now, love. You know how that color looks on you." She winked. "Besides, I'm sure Vega would agree with me."

"Vega?" Liara questioned as Tali looked up in surprise.

She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, stifling back the onslaught of what had to be a Miranda-based migraine. _"Great. Now she's stressing me out over clothes. I do not have time for a headache right now. I swear, I will never let her help me pack again…ever. If I wear this, I'm gonna look like a high class hooker. Sheesh."_ She exhaled slowly before cracking an eye; they were staring at her. "What?"

"So…Lt. Vega, huh? I could see that," Tali chirped. Renae turned away, trying to ignore where the conversation was headed. Opening her nightstand, she grabbed her migraine medication and popped a pill. Feeling their eyes on her back, she tried to buy time by stealing a drink from Miranda's water glass on the table.

Liara was watching her intently. "Funny. I'd have suspected Kaidan, not James."

Renae felt her heart nearly stop in her chest. _"What? How? I haven't even really spent any time around him other than here. I…Wait, just calm down a minute. Hear her out. It could be nothing."_ Spinning around, her eyes flicked briefly to Miranda's before coming to meet Liara's deep, inquisitive stare. She raised her left eyebrow. "Why?"

"He seemed the more logical choice. From what I've observed of your society, women are drawn to someone higher up in command or status. He is both a Major and a Spectre. Based on such logic, it made more sense that you would be attracted to Kaidan instead of James. I take it that I am wrong?"

"_No, even when he infuriates me, I'm still partially drawn to that man. Although Vega's…he's a talented soldier and a good friend. He'll make a girl really happy one of these days."_ She sighed softly.

Tali inclined her head toward Liara. "She's right, isn't she? You have feelings for Kaidan."

Renae shook her head slowly. "He's an amazing soldier who worked side by side with some of the bravest people I've ever met to save the galaxy." She gestured to the ladies before her. "He's admirable and yeah, he's easy on the eyes. However…Oi! I can't believe I'm even having this conversation." She turned back to Miranda and stuck her tongue out. "What? No commentary from the peanut gallery?"

Miranda pretended to inspect her nails a moment before turning her head toward Renae to answer. "Honestly, if you feel anything, it's probably some form of hero worship for the guy. I mean, he did help save the world with Shepard. Even I admire him for it. That being said, if you did have to pick one, Vega sure seems interested."

Renae's laughter nearly echoed off of the walls of her tiny room. "Vega? Are you kidding me? Ha! That big lug treats me like a kid sister he loves to torture."

Miranda smirked, "In that case, his family was a very 'friendly' one if you catch my drift, love. You should see how he looks at you."

Renae rolled her eyes blatantly toward Tali and Liara, hoping they'd agree that Miranda sounded like a nutcase. Instead, she got nods of agreement.

"Honestly, I haven't seen him look at anyone like that since Shepard. Poor guy." Liara shook her head sadly. "We are kindred spirits in that."

"_He what? I remember that Liara seemed interested before Kaidan and me...but really?"_ Realizing she was staring, Renae looked at her toes, trying to find her words. "Wait. Are you insinuating that you and he both had a thing for Shepard…the Commander Shepard?"

Liara's eyes glossed slightly. "Yes, Renae. A long time ago, when I first met Chloe, she fascinated me. She had encountered a Prothean Beacon and kept her sanity; a lesser mind would have crumbled. She even blessed me with the opportunity to connect mine with hers and see the visions. I became infatuated with her. She was beautiful, courageous, and headstrong. However, I stepped aside when I saw how she and Kaidan felt about each other. Her eyes lit up whenever he entered the room, like he was the only source of light against the coming darkness. Unfortunately for James, he held the same fate I did. We've had a few chats about it. I showed him my thoughts on letting those two reconnect during our time on the Normandy. He conceded and let her be happy. It's the curse of love. If you're not right for them, you let them go to who is." Tali placed a hand on Liara's shoulder and squeezed. A single tear escaped her left eye. "Forgive me. It's been a long time since I've revisited those memories."

"No, it's quite alright, Liara. I'm sorry if I caused you pain. I just, I had no idea. I just can't imagine what that must have felt like. But, I don't know…Vega? It seems more like he'd have a lustful crush. Honestly, he doesn't come across as though he'd look for anything permanent."

"Unfortunately for him, the contrary is quite true. He really cared. When they'd met, he'd been in a dark place. In her own way, she brought him back to life. He fought for that life and a future, but only because of her. In the end, Shepard died without knowing."

Renae turned away, trying to compose herself. _"How did I miss that? Liara, I suspected. With James, I never even saw it. He's…damn. After all of this, James deserves a chance to be happy. I can at least give him one night as a friend. He's earned it."_ She held up the midnight blue dress in front of her. "So, I guess that means he deserves a night on the town, huh? Maybe I should show him what he's missing?" A blur of silver flew toward her. Snatching out her hand to catch it revealed a pair of stilettos. She raised her eyebrow at Miranda.

"Yes, but in those. Trust me." She winked.

* * *

"_Where are you, Reni? I thought you were gonna meet me here fifteen minutes ago."_ He wasn't used to waiting on women, especially not ones he couldn't "touch". He lazily strummed his fingers on the bar, starring at his fourth shot of tequila in front of him. He didn't really like drinking alone all that much. It made for lousy conversation and even lousier memories. A soft tap on his shoulder caught his attention. _"About time you showed up, princess."_

"Hey, sexy. You wanna walk a girl home?"

James turned his head to look sideways at the girl behind him. Her black spiked heels had ribbons laced up her long legs. Those lovelies led the way up to a curvaceous dancer body and flaming red hair. _"Definitely not Renae, but hello, honey…Who are you and where have you been all night?" _He spun his bar stool around to respond, but found his path a little blocked; more than a little actually. He stared at the long, flowing ringlets of blonde hair that had materialized before him. Their owner sat in his lap and had possessively wrapped her left arm around his broad shoulders. Her body was draped in a short midnight blue dress that plunged halfway down her midriff. Her toned legs were crossed and laying across his thighs, hiking up her skirt ever so slightly. _"Damn, her body is smokin' hot. Where are these women coming from?" _He opened his mouth to speak, but froze when she spoke instead. He knew that accent. _"Mierdo! Renae? Are you kidding me…I mean, she can look like that?"_ He fought back a groan._ "Oh, I'm so fucked."_

"Sorry, love. This one's mine. However, there are some rather lonely gentlemen across the room. I suggest you try your luck at their table," she purred. With an almost temper tantrum stomp, Red stamped her feet and stormed off.

James stared at the back of her head in shock. "Renae, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

She turned her head to face him. Her bangs were pulled back away from her face, but twin tendrils hung down from around her temples. For the first time that he'd ever seen, she even had on make-up. Her eyes were laced in smoky tones, making those big blues pop even more than normal. Her lips were red as a rose and now inches from his own. He fought the urge to lick his lips. _"Wow, she's…Damn." _She whispered. "Dude, that girl has been macking on anything with a dick since I walked in. I just saved you from a long set of treatments with Chakwas." She kissed him lightly on the cheek in case Red was watching from across the room. "You're welcome, sunshine."

He felt his temperature rise as her lips brushed his cheek. His breathing quickened. _"She just…What was in that tequila?"_ He tried to shake it off when he realized she was staring at him. "Thanks, I think. You do realize she's throwing eye daggers at you, right?" He smiled at their apparent viewer.

Renae frowned slightly. _"Damn. Take a hint, ya dumb broad. He's my friend and can do SO much better than you. Hell, he deserves better. I won't let you have him. Honestly, I'd take him if you tried. I'd…Where the hell did that come from? Maybe it's the margarita from earlier talking…Cool it, Reni. He's a good friend and you're looking out for him. Yeah, let's go with that one._" She sighed softly. "She probably thinks I'm the biggest cock block ever and is waiting to see if I leave, so she can sink her claws into you."

He looked at her, rolling his eyes. "And? She's hot, princess. I wouldn't mind her claws." He winked at Red, who flamboyantly returned it before eyeing Renae.

Renae huffed. "And dirty." _"Wow, how male…and dense. How do I protect him from himself?"_ She smirked. _"Drastic times do call for drastic measures. I just hope this works or else he'll never let me live it down."_ She leaned in, pressing her lips to his ear. She felt his body go ridged from the contact. _"See? Not just skanks can get your attention, big guy."_ She lightly brushed her hand down his chest and tried not to let it go to her head when she felt a tremor run through him. In a voice as sultry and smooth as silk, she whispered, "You sure I can't change your mind, Vega."

He gulped. _"Aye, dios mio. Why is she doing this? Renae's not interested in me. She wouldn't be this persistent unless…Ah damn."_ He swallowed his pride. "She's that bad, huh?" he choked out.

Keeping up the charade, she placed right hand gently on his cheek. "You have no idea, love. I've watched her climb people like a cat in heat tonight. Trust me."

He smiled. So she really was looking out for him. Of course she was…it's not like she was jealous or anything. _"Wouldn't it be something if she was though? I mean, wow. That voice was hot!...Stop kidding yourself, Vega. She's not." _

"Hey, beautiful. Would you like to dance?"

His eyes flipped to the brazen newcomer in front of them. The tall, raven-haired man reeked of fast women and drug money. His eyes were slightly bloodshot, and his slight twitches reflected red sand use. That he could handle. What James couldn't deal with was how the creep eyed Renae like the last _churro_ at the fair. _"She's sitting in my lap, and you think you can ask her to dance?" _He growled. "Listen here, _cabron_…" A hand placed softly on his chest caused him to pause.

"Sir, while I'm flattered you think I'm pretty enough to hit on, obviously, you've missed the memo. I'm a bit busy at the moment. Perhaps the lovely redhead in the corner can help you," she cooed over the band in the room. "_Oi vey. I picked a bad night to come here. My head is still swimming from those migraine meds earlier still. Yeah, that margarita didn't help. Smooth move, exlax."_ She leaned back against James, trying to hold off the onslaught of nausea she could feel coming on.

James frowned as he tried to read her. Something felt off. She turned her face slightly toward his as she leaned back against him. Her eyes were glossy. _"Her eyes…Is she sick?" _He wrapped his right arm around her waist to steady her. "_Yeah, she's either had a lot to drink or she's sick. Did this guy notice and want to take advantage of it?" _James raised an eyebrow at Renae.

"I'm not that into redheads. Blondes always look better on my arm. So, what do you say, baby? Why don't you come dance with someone who can show you a good time?" He reached out a hand toward her. "You know I'll be more fun than some stuffy soldier boy."

Renae opened her mouth to speak, but James spoke first. "Apparently, you missed the memo, _hombre._ Perhaps I need to spell it out for you." She turned her head toward a visibly heated James, her lips inches from his own. His eyes shot from the intruder's to hers. His lips curved into a smile as he whispered, "Look, princess. You wanna shut this guy up?" She nodded and smiled warily. "Good. You can get mad at me later, but for now, just follow me, please?" She raised her left eyebrow, confused until his lips tentatively met her own.

The rest of the world ceased to exist. He'd felt silence in the eye of the storm before, but it had nothing on this. All he felt, smelled, heard, or sensed was her. It was like she was the center of the universe and her gravity sucked him in. His markings began glowing softly, like deep red tattoos along his arms, as he deepened the contact. _"I can't believe she's going along with this. She…she trusts me. Score one, Jimmy boy." _

That's when it got interesting. He had hoped she would follow his lead, but he hadn't planned on her taking it from him. Where the touch of her lips had begun as soft caresses, it quickened and became demanding, like a starving man finding food again. His heart rate rose as she placed her right hand on his chest, pulling herself closer…She nipped playfully at his bottom lip. He groaned at the contact. Instinctively, he wrapped his other arm around her waist and nipped back. He was able to keep his composure and try to remember that it was all an act…until she moaned softly into his mouth. _"Oh my god, Reni. You're killing me here, baby girl." _He locked his right hand in her hair as she deepened the kiss further._ "She does taste like tequila and limes."_ He chuckled softly, rumbling deep in his chest.

She pulled back, her half-lidded eyes questioning. He brushed his left hand along her cheek, smiling, before readdressing their audience. "As I said, she's a bit busy right now." He looked down as she lightly tapped her fingers along his chest.

"Please, darling. I can speak for myself. Sir, as you can see, my boyfriend is a pretty big guy. I don't think he would appreciate it if I danced with you. However, I do hope you won't let that stop you from having a nice evening. Red's alone. She'd probably love to dance." The offending presence grumbled and walked over to the lonely redhead, who appeared quite happy with this outcome. Renae looked back to James. "You ok?"

"_She called me her boyfriend. With lips like that, she can call me anything she wants. That was…damn, that was hot." _Honestly, he was still attempting to slow his breathing and get his mind out of the fantasy it was starting to concoct. His eyes locked onto her slightly swollen lips. "_If that was her pretending to kiss me like that…then wow. Imagine if she really meant it."_ Her voice snapped him out of his reverie.

"Yoo-who…You in there, big guy?"

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine."

She smiled knowingly. "Uh huh. Sure you are. Say, you ready to head out? I've had enough of this place tonight." She hopped off his lap before stealing his shot of tequila off the bar. She threw it back and slammed down the glass.

"_Damn, she made me forget I even had that thing. What kind of voodoo is she doing?"_ He smiled, trying to wash the fog out of his mind as he stood. "Yeah, it's about time to head back." Offering her his arm, "May I escort you home, my lady?"

She crinkled her nose as her head swam and grabbed the bar for balance. _"Note to self, don't drink whatever tequila he does. Crap, just don't drink it when medicated. Wait a minute. Did he just call me 'my lady'? Ha! That was cute."_ She glanced lazily his direction. "Gimme a second here, LT. The room's moving."

"Whoa, _chica_. You ok?" He wrapped an arm around her waist. "I thought you handled booze better than that."

"Haha, Vega. I do. However, I've been battling a migraine today. My medicine tends to make the world a bit foggy. This is punishment for me taking that and stealing your shot. I can walk. I swear." She staggered forward before he caught her.

"See? Stealing's wrong. Ha, but yeah. I don't think so, Cinderella. I won't let you leave a shoe behind for that guy to find." He laughed as she stared at him. "What? You didn't think I knew the whole fairy tale? My _abuela_ taught me better than that. Just let me help you for once. What kind of guy would I be if I kissed you and didn't walk you home?" Her laughter made his heart jump. "Come on, princess. Let me be your knight in shining armor. I'll make sure you get home safely."

She crinkled her nose again, a reflection of her inner arguing. _"He's not gonna stop trying to be nice is he? I mean, yeah he did protect me from that creeper earlier, but I did save him from potential STDs. You'd think we were even now…but he is easy on the eyes, and he makes me laugh. He's, he's not Kaidan though. What does that make me? I'll never be Chloe. Should I just let Kaidan go? Wait? Why am I even worrying about this now? Stop overthinking this, Renae. He's just a friend offering to walk you home. Smile and nod."_ She smiled at him. "Knight in shining armor, you say?" She offered her arm. "In that case, lead the way, good sir."

He took her arm and pulled her against his side before heading toward the door. She was quiet, lost in thought as he flagged a cab and helped her in before climbing in after. He placed him arm along the top of the seat and leaned against the window. He hadn't expected the touch he felt at his side. Renae had tucked her feet up on the seat beside her and snuggled against his right side. He felt her sigh softly as she relaxed against him. _"This is nice. See? She can relax."_ He brought his right arm down and wrapped it around her. Looking down at her face, he couldn't help but smile. _"She's beautiful. I don't think I've ever seen her look so peaceful before. She almost reminds me of…No. Don't go there, hombre. Let it go. Do not throw old feelings from Shepard onto this girl. She's different. She's special. She…Aw fuck. I'm so screwed."_

* * *

"Alright, little lady," he whispered. "Think you can unlock your door and get to bed all by yourself?"

Backing away from his side, she laughed softly and put her hands on her hips. "I'm not twelve, Vega. I'm perfectly able to do this myself."

"Could've proved me wrong," he mumbled playfully. Vega turned to leave, but heard her slip as the door opened. He spun around as she caught herself on the door frame. "Hold up there, princess. Are you sure that you don't want me to help you? I promise, you won't even have to admit to it, ever. I'll take it to my grave," he chuckled, trying to cover up the concern he felt.

She frowned. So having that margarita wasn't too bad, but stealing his shot of tequila had been a bad idea. On top of the meds already in her system, it had been a really stupid idea. "Yeah, ok. Just get me over to my bed, ya big lug."

"As you wish, my lady," he said softly before picking her up in his arms. She squealed.

"Hey! I agreed you could help me, not carry me."

"Technically, you didn't specify. Just suck it up, Reni." He sat down on the edge of the empty bed in the room before gingerly laying her down. She slowly kicked her heels off into the floor before snuggling her pillow. She cracked an eye as he patted her ankle. "Night, night. I'll check on you tomorrow, ok?"

"_He's leaving already? I mean, of course he is; it's late. He should head back. It's not like there's somewhere he can sleep here…Oh don't even go there, kid." _She tugged slightly at the corner of her lip with her teeth. "Sure. Uhm…Hey, Vega? Before you go, can you hand me some acetaminophen? It's in the top drawer of my bedside table."

"Yeah, sure." He opened the drawer to grab the bottle when he saw it. The picture frame on her table held what looked to be a happy family. The dark haired man was grinning like there was no better place to be, standing with his arm around two smiling blondes. On the right was Renae. On the left was the woman from the book. His heart nearly stopped. _"Holy shit. That's the woman from Chloe's book, Jean Somethingorother. Wait. The note in it was to a Reni….Is that possible? Ok, calm down, hombre. There's got to be a logical explanation for this. Just go talk to Liara. She'll figure it out."_ Regaining the color in his face, he handed her two pills. "Take these and call me in the morning, k?"

She rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Doctor Jimmy. I had fun tonight. You're actually a pretty decent guy, you know, but shhhh. Don't tell anyone I said that." She sat up and lightly placed a kiss on his cheek, before laying back down to sleep.

His hand touched the ghost of her lips on his cheek. _"She kissed me and not as an act. She actually kissed me."_ He grinned before patting her arm lightly. "I'm gonna head out. Get some rest, beautiful. It's been a long day." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

"Hehehe…He thinks I'm beautiful," she groggily giggled and kicked her feet. He glanced down at them. She had painted her toenails to a deep blue that matched her eyes.

"_Yep, I'm screwed."_


	13. Chapter 12: Mi Princesa

**Bioware owns Mass Effect and its characters. Renae's my stunt double. **

**Thank you, Abstract1106 and Libraborn, for being sounding boards in the wee hours of the morning. You're fantastic, ladies. **

"I can't believe you even remembered that I liked these, Liara," Kaidan smiled. He looked down at the familiar label in his hand. He hadn't had a Molson Lager since who knows when. He'd lost count of how many of these he'd drank while standing on the balcony at his parents' house back in Vancouver. To him, it tasted like home. He popped the top and took a swig.

"Not a problem, Kaidan. I figured you'd earned it."

He raised an eyebrow slightly as he sat the bottle down on her table. "Why would you say that?"

"Considering how the past year has gone, I'd say it's time you took a few minutes for yourself. You've been moving nonstop since Chloe died."

He grimaced. _That's what she wanted to talk about? You've got to be kidding me. It's going to take some time to deal with. Steve's still dealing with losing Robert, and that was over a year ago. I miss her every day, but nothing will fix that except time._ His eyes darkened, pooling with sorrow. "Liara, while I appreciate your concern, don't worry. I'm doing the best that I can, given the circumstances. It's just going to take time for my heart to heal. I didn't fall in love with her overnight, so I can't be expected to recover from losing her overnight."

Reaching over, Liara placed a hand lightly on top of Kaidan's. "I've never expected you to. Just remember that you're not alone in this. We all lost her. We are your friends…your family. None of us want you to go through this by yourself."

He stared down at his hand. It felt like ages since anyone had touched his hand like that. The last one was Chloe. Tears welled up in his eyes as he intertwined his fingers with hers. "I know. I just…We've all been so busy with relocating and now teaching that I guess I hadn't stopped long enough to remember it."

She squeezed his hand gently and smiled. "All I'm asking is that you remember. My door's always open; you know that I'm here for you."

He took another sip and looked back at her face, searching for words. "Thanks. It's good to know that I've got someone around here I can lean on. I was beginning to think I was losing my mind."

She raised her eyebrow questioningly. "May I ask?"

He shook his head and tried to laugh. "I was beginning to put Chloe in places she wasn't. I'd recognize her behavior in a student or see someone make a face she would make. It seemed so natural, like she was talking to me from the grave."

"I've felt that way about my mother before. When I met Samara, she reminded me of the good that had originally been in Benezia. It was nice to feel that again."

"I wish I could say it like that, Liara. Mine started in an argument with a student. She reminded me so much of Chloe…I swear that I felt her presence in the room. The hair on the back of my neck nearly stood up. There was just something about the way she looked at the situation and at me. Her eyes and her words were so familiar, but she looks nothing like her."

"Really? Which student, if you don't mind me asking?"

"That one Vega's always with, Lt. Commander Parker. That woman's got spunk. She ripped me a new one on the battlefield. Did I ever tell you about that?" He laughed. "I'd tried to read her the riot act on instructors not helping students, and then she went and blindsided me with how I'd paused on the Normandy and cost crew members their lives. She nearly made my heart stop, but she got what she needed out of me. I couldn't help but think later that Chloe would've done the same damn thing." He smiled. She would've done the same thing. He just knew it.

Liara sat back in her chair and absorbed. "It's interesting that she knew exactly what to say to get you motivated. You're sure you felt her presence?"

"Honestly, yeah. Whenever this girl's around, it's like Chloe's back. It's actually really soothing sometimes."

Her eyes flashed with concern. "Is that why you offered to handle their next training exercise?"

He covered his mouth, trying not to spit out the drink he'd just taken. "Why would you say that?"

"Because, Kaidan, you're hurting. It appears you've found a source of balm for your heart to ease the pain. Why wouldn't you use it?"

He tensed, realizing what she was insinuating. "It's not like that, Liara."

Her gaze softened. "Kaidan, I'm not trying to upset you."

He stood up abruptly, pushing his chair back. "Thanks for the beer, but honestly, I've got to get going. It's late, and we have that group training session with the N7 candidates in the morning. Good night, Liara."

As the door closed behind him, he leaned against the wall. He ran his fingers through his hair and let his fist fall, hitting the wall beside his hip. How could one woman get under his skin so damn easily? He didn't need a shrink; he needed time. He huffed and shook his head. _Liara's got it all wrong. It's not like that with Renae. I'm taking a vested interest in her education and training as an instructor, that's all. It's not like I'm looking for a replacement for Chloe. She was all I'd ever wanted; you can't just forget someone that amazing overnight._

* * *

An abrupt knocking began at her door, causing Liara to glare at her clock. She'd only been asleep about a few hours."For the love of the goddess, it's 6AM_._" Throwing on her robe, she made her way over to the door. "Kaidan, are you…Oh, James. What are you doing here?" She questioningly eyed the sleep-deprived figure before her.

The young marine was standing with his hands in his pants pockets, staring at the floor. He hadn't intended to come by this early. He'd tried to go back to his room and sleep after taking Renae home, but he'd tossed and turned for most of the night. He finally gave up around 0530. It had taken every bit of energy he could muster to come see Liara at all. He hadn't wanted to wake her, so he'd been pacing around outside of her room for at least 15 minutes hoping her alarm would chime. _Man, it's early. This was a bad idea…Kaidan?_ He raised his head slightly, frowning. "Sorry if I woke you, Doc. Sounds like you were you expecting somebody. I didn't mean to bother you; I can go."

She shook her head. "No, it's ok. We'd just been talking last night, and he was upset when he left. I'd assumed he'd come back. What can I do for you?"

James rubbed the back of his neck, feeling foolish for even bringing this to her attention right now. "Uhm, it's about that picture you were looking into. I may have found a link to it here."

Her eyes widened. "Here? Come on."

_Wow, her room's a lot bigger than the rest of ours. Must be a perk to being a visiting instructor or something._ Crossing the room, he took a seat at the table by her window. It was covered in data pads and various tablets. In the corner loomed what felt like its own server facility. He raised an eyebrow as she took a seat. "You've brought your work with you, huh?"

She smiled warily. "The Shadow Broker never takes a vacation, so yes, it was necessary. Now, what is this link you found?"

He sat forward, folding his arms and laying them down on the table. "It's probably nothing, but some things seemed too familiar to let go, no?"

"Such as?"

"On my mission with Major Alenko, Lt. Commander Parker referenced a book her _madre_ had given her. She said it was missing."

Liara raised an eyebrow. "I'm assuming you think this is the same book you have back in your locker." His eyes widened. "Am I correct?" He nodded. "What else, James?"

He gripped his forearms lightly, trying to not fidget. "Miranda called her Reni. The inscription in the front cover of the book is from 'Mom' and to someone named 'Reni.'" Liara nodded. "And then, when I dropped her off tonight, she had a picture on her dresser. It was of her, some guy, and the woman from the photo.

She stared at the young man before her. "Really? James, can you describe the man in the photograph?"

"I guess. He was pale with dark hair and glasses, maybe in his early 40s. He had his arms wrapped around that woman and Renae like he knew them. Actually, they kinda looked like a family. I mean, the more I think about it, Renae's facial features resemble theirs a bit. Those could have been her parents, I guess." He looked up at her, clearly upset. "Look, Doc. It took me a good five minutes before I was able to make my legs move to get out of there last night. I tried to go back to my room and get some sleep, but it kept eating at me. What's going on? Why's it looking like Chloe had Renae's book?" His breathing quickened.

"We'll figure it out. Is there anything else you recognize; anything that stands out as to why they'd know each other?"

He shook his head. "No, they're as different as night and day. She's…_Mierdo_…" He paused, earning an odd look from Liara. Vega swallowed. Of course she knew he'd notice. Liara picked up on everything. "They have similar movements. Both of their eyes twinkle, and they crinkle their noses when they're frustrated. They like music, too. Damn it, I dunno. This all seems pretty fucked up to me, Liara." His eyebrows scrunched slightly while his eyes pleaded. "Please tell me there's some logical explanation here for why the woman I care about is apparently sharing a brain with the one we used to." His jaw dropped as the words left his lips. _I care about her? Did I really just say that?_

"You care about her?" She smiled.

"I mean, yeah, I think I do." He chuckled as he remembered their earlier moments. "That would explain a lot."

She raised her eyebrow in reply. "Something tells me that I don't want to know."

"Yeah, something like that." He raised an eyebrow at her. "So, you and the major, huh? When did that happen?"

Liara rolled her eyes and shook her head. "He's just a good friend, James. He's had a hard time dealing with Chloe's death…a very hard time. I've been trying to be a good shoulder for him to lean on. That's all."

"Yeah, I dunno about that, Doc. He may have a thing for super smart Asari intelligence brokers and not realize it. I mean, I'd never even verbally put together that I had a thing for Renae before until just now." He winked sarcastically.

"I sincerely doubt it, James. He's still in love with her. He feels quite a bit of survivor's remorse from what I can tell. Though, there has been a young woman who's caught his eye. Thankfully, he's had the good sense to not act on it. I hope he continues to retain that sense."

James stared at her, realization dawning on his face. "Ah hell. If she's so much like Chloe or whatever, then he likes her, doesn't he?" He groaned.

"He may be feeling some kind of replacement feelings for her. It's almost as if he's simply transferring them to her, but on a smaller level." She leaned forward in her chair. "It's not a healthy behavior, though."

"It's ok. I promised her from day one that I'd protect her from the 'big, bad Spectre.' I meant it."

Liara looked up, grinning. "Good. If my hunch is right, she may need you to do just that."

James grinned. "I gotcha, Doc. Look, I already let Chloe go. I know she was happy with Kaidan, but it hurt. Renae's…I look forward to seeing her when I wake up. She's the last one I think about when I go to sleep. I won't let anything or anyone hurt her. I promise. She'll be safe with me." His face lit up, a vast contrast from when he'd arrived on her doorstep. "Listen, thanks for talking to me about this. I reckon I should probably head out. It's gonna be a long day, and I want to go check on Cinderella beforehand." He rose to leave. "See you in the arena later. Bring your A-game!" He winked.

Liara closed the door behind James as he left. _Poor guy. He didn't even know he liked her. _She chuckled softly. _A blind man could've seen that. His eyes light up whenever she's around. I wonder if he's realized hers do, too. She may not even realize it yet, herself._ She turned toward her desk and paused when she remembered.

_Didn't he say it was like they were sharing a brain? He may be onto something here. Chloe did have a lot of conflicting information in her head when I joined with her. It was almost as if she had two different pasts, one of which she was trying to push aside. I'd just assumed she was burying items she wanted to forget, but maybe there is something there. I'll have to look into it. _Taking a seat back at her desk, she tapped her keyboard, awakening the network. _Now the first question is: how was Jean Shepard in that photo? _

* * *

James approached the table where Renae sat, hoping she'd cut him some slack for last night. He was also hoping she wishing make him flip over the tray of food he was carrying. He noticed she only had a data pad in front of her, with no sign of breakfast in sight. Biotics burn a lot of calories and so they eat, well, a lot like he did. He chuckled at the thought, causing her to turn her head at his approach. She glanced at the enormous tray of food as he sat it down at the table.

"Sheesh, LT. You having a baby or something? You could've at least told me where you're registered. I'd have gotten you a gift."

He laughed. "Not on your life, _princesa_. My body was made to help make those, not carry 'em." She blushed slightly and looked down at her data pad.

_She's nervous. Since when did our joking make her blush? Did she feel something last night, too? _He reached over and grabbed her hand. Her eyes met his. Her appearance was a stark contrast from the night before. Gone were the make-up, curls, and elaborate dress. She was bare faced and dressed in a solid black N School pant and shirt set with a high ponytail. _Dios, ella es hermosa. _He rubbed his thumb lightly over the back of her hand. "Look, half of this is for you. I figured if I didn't want you to kick my ass today, then I'd better show up with a peace offering."

She shivered and looked at him; her eyes were searching, questioning, before turning to stone. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? Is that what you're gonna say?" He pushed a plate toward her, earning an eye roll. _So she's gonna act like nothing happened last night? I know there weren't supposed to be any strings attached to that little show, but damn. I felt something._ He watched as her eyes flicked toward movement across the room. Was she actually watching Kaidan walk in? _Oh no you don't, princesa. I've got it on good authority that he's no bueno for you. So help me, God, if I've gotta protect her from him and herself._ He tapped the back of her hand. "Yoo-whoo. Now who's not paying attention?"

Her breathing hitched in her chest as her eyes popped toward him, clearly wounded. "What Vega?"

"Look. I just…I wanted to apologize for last night. I was pretty drastic in my behavior. I don't know what came over me. I wanted to make sure that I still had my friend at least."

Her face softened. He watched as she glanced down at his hand, his thumb still lightly tracing over hers. She crinkled her nose and chewed slightly at the corner of her mouth. He had to fight to hold it together. He could feel it; she was trying to shoot him down, while he was fighting to kiss her like he wished he had the first time. "Yeah, we're ok, big guy. I'm just…I've got some things I'm dealing with right now that are getting under my skin. I'm sorry if I snapped at you."

He let go of her hand and nudged her with his shoulder. "It's ok, _chica. _Just don't make a habit of it. Now eat before this gets cold." She frowned.

"Come on, Reni…You know you're hungry." He leaned in to whisper. "And I know you wouldn't want to run out of energy during training today." He nudged her arm. "Work with me here."

"Yeah…I guess you're right. I'd hate for me to try and save your ass and be too tired to do it." She laughed.

He beamed back at her. It was as if the sun had finally come out and pierced through the clouds. The sound of her laughter lifted the weight off of his shoulders. "Yeah, like I need saving. Just eat."

"One of these days, Vega. You'll need me around. You wait and see."

___Todos los días, mi princesa_. He laughed, trying to seem more casual than his heart felt. "Sure, Cinderella. My sentiment's exactly."


	14. Chapter 13: Overload Tendencies

**Bioware owns the Mass Effect franchise and its characters. Renae's my own personal badass. **

**Thank you for your patience. It's been a rough week with school and life. I apologize that it took so long to get this update out. Thanks to my ever helpful Libraborn for being my beta. You rock, love!**

**Spanish translations are at the bottom. :)  
**

Time was moving in slow motion. She had to be everywhere all at the same time. Nothing could be left to chance. Mechs were crawling all over the place. _Some routine training exercise this is! Tali has these bastards hunting us down like animals._ She'd already watched over half her classmates get tagged out in what had to be the biggest paintball game of "capture the flag" ever. The unused airplane hangar was filled with reformatted Atlases and smaller mechs carrying what looked like giant paintball guns. To make bad matters worse, some of the instructors were playing, too. Tali and Liara were controlling some of the mechs while Garrus was sniping students on foot.

So far, it'd been a slaughter to say the least. Nearly every N7 recruit had been hit and was resigned to watching from the sidelines. Fortunately, Kaidan and Miranda were trying to help the remaining three students retain some of their honor. Renae could feel her heart trying to beat out of her chest. Trying to catch her breath, she ducked behind a small weapons cache, hoping to not be noticed. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Amanda re-cloak. That girl was their best attempt at winning this competition. She moved with a catlike finesse that neither she nor James could seem to master. The current plan was for Mandy to sprint across the arena, grab the flag, and return it undetected. The problem was that her cloak only lasted for 20 seconds at a time, so it was a long process. "Atta girl. Hit 'em where it hurts, Mandy." Her partner clicked back, trying to remain as silent as possible. The rest of the team would be her decoys. "James, what's your 20, big guy?"

Honestly, he didn't want to answer. It was bad enough that he had to admit he was in over his head. The worst part had to be telling her that he needed her to save his ass. "1 o'clock from front door, and I need a distraction. Scars is nearby."

"Parker, I'm at 2 o'clock. I can get to him."

"Get the big guy outta there, Alenko."

The ground shook from an approaching Atlas. Renae cringed, knowing she'd have to leave this area of cover soon. Silently, she moved her rifle into position and trained her scope on the upcoming mech. _Hello, Liara. Nice of you to join us._ She snickered. Fortunately for her, Doc wasn't used to driving that monstrosity. She might actually stand a chance at taking down the shields and getting an Atlas out of the game. Her finger gripped the trigger and began to pull back when a shadow began materializing in front of her. Tali was approaching in the other mech; she'd been spotted. Gritting her teeth, she hissed, "Mandy, tell me you're near that flag."

"Just give me maybe two more minutes. I've been bobbing and weaving around those guys in this damn maze of a room layout."

Renae groaned. "Understood. Hey, guys. I'm back by the first ammo cache and pinned down by Tali & Liara. I need somebody to help me take down those shields, so I can get a hit in on them."

"On it, love. Overload on Tali coming up."

She grinned as Miranda's Overload diminished Tali's shields. Renae popped up from behind cover, throwing a well-placed Reave at the Atlas, sucking down its armor.

"Headed your way. Whatcha need, Reni?"

"Excellent! James, you and Kaidan focus on Tali's Atlas. Miranda and I will take out Liara. Mandy, you just keep moving, girl. We're holding down the fort."

The next few minutes were a blur. Paint balls and biotic attacks flashed throughout their corner of the room. Com chatter came to halt with the exception of an occasional yelp or curse. Renae's ears were filled with the sound of her own breathing. Finally, Liara's Atlas went down. However, Tali was resilient and repaired her shields as fast as they could damage them. Renae groaned in frustration at the impasse. _This is ridiculous. She's just buying time for Garrus to get back and pick us off. We've got to get out of here and try a new tactic._ Movement on an overhead crate caught her eye. "Sniper! Get down!" Unfortunately for her, Garrus and Tali worked together like a well-oiled machine. Two shots later and Miranda was down.

"I need just 30 seconds, and I'll have it, Renae. Keep them busy."

Busy? Sure. She could do busy; it's what she'd been doing the whole game. Looking up, she realized Kaidan and James were both being targeted. Two shots flew by as they dove behind cover. She exhaled, thankful for the miss.

"I need a distraction here, Cinderella. I can't keep this dance up forever."

"Sure you can, Vega. I can vouch for your dancing skills." She chuckled, trying to ease the tension in his voice.

"Haha, Renae. Seriously, my shields are down. All it'll take is one more hit, and you're minus a dancing partner over here."

She grimaced, remembering the last time one of their team's shields had gone down. "Hang tight, James. I've got you." A shot fired; she watched as Kaidan's shields failed. "Oh, come on! Are you kidding me, Alenko?"

He shot her a look as he hunkered down behind a metal crate. "Does it look like it to you?" He smirked and sarcasm dripped off his voice. "Got any ideas, oh fearless leader?"

She rolled her eyes and tried to think. They were surrounded and needed a chance to take out Garrus before they could concentrate on Tali. They just needed shields capable of handling that brutal a counter-attack. _Aha! _Her lips spread into a grin as she remembered a theory from her Asari instructor back at HQ. It was a long shot, but it just might work. "Hang tight boys. I can see Vakarian. Kaidan, he's on your 3 o'clock. If I can shield you two, can you hit him?"

He shot a glance at her and narrowed his eyes in frustration. "What do you mean, 'shield you two'? You can't shield us both."

Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. "Just answer the damn question, Alenko. Can you do it?"

She could just barely hear the grinding sound coming from Kaidan gritting his teeth together before he answered her. "Yeah, Parker. It's doable, but not even remotely plausible."

"Well then it's good that I didn't ask about plausibility, isn't it? We move on three. One…two…three!" Dual barriers formed along their armor as both men popped around cover, unloading thermal clips on Garrus. He dropped to the ground with a satisfying thud. Renae licked her lips and pushed harder, trying to keep their protection in place. "Hit Tali." They turned, unloading on Tali, but her return fire never touched them. Her Atlas' shields dropped, and James took a final shot. Yellow paint spattered all over her windshield. He jumped up, happily whooping into the air. Amanda's cheer rang through the com as she finally slammed the flag into their team's peg.

_Good job, boys! I'm just glad it worked. _Renae smiled until she realized her vision was getting a bit blurry. She held her hands in front of her, trying to focus her eyes on her fingers. _Huh, maybe it's just a side effect of that dual barrier. At least my implant finally stopped burning. I was getting worried there for a minute._ She tried to take a step forward and paused because her legs felt like they'd been replaced with noodles. In fact, most of her body felt that way. Remaining vertical was becoming a challenge. She looked back at her hands and wiggled her fingers. Satisfied that her hands were at least ok, she tried to wiggle her toes. _I don't even think I can feel my toes. That can't be good. _She looked down toward her feet and raised her eyebrow as she watched a drop of blood splash onto her armor. _I'm bleeding? From where?_ Her hand tapped her face under her visor. _I haven't had a nosebleed in forever. Maybe I did overextend myself a little bit. _It was going to be ok though; they'd won. She just had to find a place to sit and rest for a minute.

"We did it! That's my girl…Reni? _Mierdo!_" As James turned, his blood ran cold. She was standing there, looking very unaware of her surroundings and blood was dripping down her face. He watched Renae fall to her hands and knees, breathing heavily. As he ran toward her, a blue barrier fizzled out across his armor. He looped his arms under her, cradling her against his chest as she fell limp in his arms. Rocking back and forth, he murmured, "Come on, Reni. You can't just leave me hangin' this. You proved your point, but I need you to wake up and look at me, so I can tell you, _princesa_." There was no response. A tremble rolled through his body as tears welled in his eyes. Ripping off his helmet, he placed his cheek close to her lips. Breath…He could still feel her breath, as faint as it was. He looked up, face frozen in panic. "ALENKO!"

Kaidan stood there in shock. He'd seen the barrier pop up on himself, but didn't realize what she'd actually done. When he saw a barrier fizzle out simultaneously on himself and James, his heart had nearly stopped. There's no way her amp could handle that maneuver, especially for as long as she held it up. Any biotics he knew would've overloaded their amps, needing immediate medical treatment. "Somebody get that kid to Chakwas in the med – bay now. Tell her it may be an overload. Don't look at me, just move…now!"

* * *

_Who keeps mumbling in Spanish? You'd think I was watching Telemundo. Aye, dios mio. See? Even I'm doing it._ Renae cracked an eye open. It looked like she was in the med – bay at the villa. The television across the room was on, but there was no sound. _That's weird. I swear I heard somebody speaking Spanish._ A soft kiss pressed against her temple as warmth enveloped her arm. She sighed as the pain killers kicked in and the world went dark again.

"_Siento que está herido, mi belleza._" James quietly scooted his chair closer to her bed and slowly sat down beside her IV pump. "Next time, just let 'em hit me. I'm a big guy; I can take it." He gently wrapped his hand around hers before laying his head down by their joined hands. He'd been by her side since Chakwas finally convinced the nurses that he wouldn't leave even if they pushed him out. He knew he owed her for that one. He just couldn't shake the feeling that it was partially his fault she was in here. He lightly kissed her fingertips. "Sleep well, _princesa_." He tried to stifle a yawn, but felt tired enough himself that he closed his eyes. Resting for a just few minutes couldn't hurt.

* * *

Miranda couldn't help but to chuckle softly at the sight of them when she walked in. James was sitting in a chair and had his head on the side of Renae's bed, holding her hand while he slept. She gently tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, big fella. Why don't you take a break? I've can sit with her for a while." He sat up and stretched.

"Oh hey, Don," he grinned sleepily. "It's ok. I got her."

"Sure ya do, Vega, but who's got you? Why don't you grab a bite to eat and get some rest? I'll take a shift for you. Besides, do you want to be the one to wake her up and make her eat something? She's going to be pissed that she's still in here." He grimaced and shook his head. "Go on. It's ok." She watched as he rose to leave. "Oh, and Vega," she called. He paused at the doorway and looked over his shoulder toward her. "Stop beating yourself up. It was her choice."

He sighed and turned to look up at her. "It may have been her call, but she was hurt protecting me in a game. That's on my shoulders, Miranda."

"You like her, don't you?"

He stopped at the door and winced. "It's that obvious, huh?"

"Yeah, it is." She smiled. "You've got good taste, James. She'd be lucky to have you. Just give her some time to see that."

* * *

"Come on, love. You've got to wake up and eat sometime. I promised Chakwas that I'd get you to eat something, so we can take your IV out."

Renae blinked a few times, trying to clear the fog so she could focus on the source of the voice she heard. Her eyes widened when she realized she was still in a hospital bed. "Randa? I'm still here? Oh crap! How long have I been out? Do I have to go home? Hackett's gonna be so mad. I.." A finger pushed against her lips.

"Zip it, Reni, and calm down. You were brought in yesterday afternoon when you collapsed after the game. Chakwas kept you overnight to make sure you didn't burn up your amp. You lucked out, kid. Not everybody could've handled what you did yesterday; Kaidan even said so." She smiled before reaching over and grabbing Renae's arm lightly. "That being said, don't you ever scare me like that again over a game. That was reckless. You could've been seriously hurt."

She smiled. "I'm just glad it worked. I knew the theory, but hadn't tried it before. Maybe I can practice and build up to it?"

"Sure. Practice first. Besides, who tests theories on a battlefield?"

"It wasn't a real battlefield; it was just a game. Besides, Shepard would've done it."

"Yep, and she's gone….You are still here. Let's keep it that way. I don't have an extra of you, remember? You're one of a kind, my friend." She took a seat beside the bed. "You just missed Vega."

_James? He was here? Even after how I treated him at breakfast?...I did hear Spanish. _She reached up and lightly brushed her temple_. Did he kiss me? Was that what I felt?_ Realizing Miranda was still watching her, she tried to cover her surprise. "Oh. Is he ok? He didn't have to check on me…not after yesterday morning."

"Oh cool it, lovebird. I only made him leave because he needed to get some sleep. He sat up with you all night."

She stared at Miranda in shock. It took her a minute to convince her lips to formulate words. "He stayed with me all night? Why?" After sticking her tongue out mockingly, she continued. "Don't roll your eyes at me. Why was he here?"

Miranda stared at her friend. A light sheen of sweat covered Renae's skin and her cheeks were rosy. The tempo of her heart monitor's beeping increased, alerting anyone within earshot to her elevated blood pressure and heart rate. She shook her head and snickered. "You really don't get it, do you? Well, at least it looks like your heart gets it, but apparently your brain is out of the loop."

She crossed her arms defensively across her chest. "There's nothing to get. He's my friend. That's it."

"Sure he is, Reni. How's that 'sticking your head in the sand' routine working out for you? If I didn't know better, I'd say the bloke was falling in love with you."

Except for the medical equipment, silence enveloped the room. Renae stared straight ahead at the wall in front of her and tried to calm her nerves. The clock showed several minutes passing before she softly whispered, "It's not me he loves. It's her. It'll always be her…just like with Kaidan."

Anger flashed over Miranda's eyes. Reaching over, she grabbed Renae's hand and tugged lightly to get her attention. Their eyes met like fire and ice. "Are you kidding me? She's dead…gone…You are here now. James is past her. Kaidan will be eventually. You, my friend, are the one who has to get over Chloe." Her eyes met Renae's, which were cold, misty and distant. Realization dawned across her face. "You miss being her, don't you?"

Renae turned her head, facing the window as a tear slid down her cheek. Her soft voice cracked as she spoke. "Sometimes, I feel like I've forgotten how to be me. I should've died a long time ago, you know? If I hadn't signed up, my life would have been different. I'd have started a family with Dewayne, had beautiful little babies, and a house with a white picket fence on the base. There would not have been any Reapers in my lifetime. It would've been beautiful." She turned her gaze to again meet Miranda's. Any sadness was wiped again. Her appearance was no longer remorseful, but now lines of anger crept along her face. Her eyes burned bitterly, weeping over what could've been. "But no…Instead, I choose to sign on and save the fucking universe. I lost Renae back in 2013; all I am now is a ghost of Chloe Shepard. That's all I'll ever be."

Miranda's heart broke. She'd known her friend missed her life, but hadn't realized she felt so out of place in her own skin now. She intertwined her fingers with Renae's and squeezed gently, earning a look from her. "You know that I love you, right? Other than Orianna, you're all the family I have. I'm glad you're here…You, not Chloe. She was just a shell. You are who is important."

She snorted in disbelief. "Sure, tell that to the galaxy. Hell, tell that to Kaidan. See what he says about that. I'm sure he'd love to give you his two cents about how important Chloe is."

Miranda sat back and threw her hands up in the air. "Oh for the love of…You know what? Screw the galaxy and Kaidan for that matter. They're safe from the Reapers. Let them think what they want." She leaned forward and poked Renae in the ribs. "All that matters is that you matter. You matter to me, and whether you like it or not, you matter to James." She leaned back in her chair and smirked slightly. "I think you should tell him."

Renae folded her arms across her chest. "Tell him what?"

"Oh, don't play coy with me. You know what. After all, isn't that what you're really afraid of? You're scared he won't like you…especially once he knows who you were."

Her eyes flashed in surprise. "You know that information's highly classified…like I could go to jail for the rest of my life classified. I can't tell him that."

Miranda rolled her eyes and grabbed Renae's arm. "Would you just stop arguing and listen to me for a minute?" She shook her head in frustration. "Shit, Reni. Just listen to your heart. What does it say?"

She chewed her bottom lip and after a moment, sat up in her bed. She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. "I think part of me is still emotionally attached to Kaidan from my time as Chloe. James is wonderful. His kisses make my heart beat out of my chest. His touch calms and excites me all at the same time. He…Don't look at me like that or I won't get this out, Miranda. He's funny. He makes me feel alive again…but he deserves a whole heart. He deserves someone who wants only him and his happiness. I can't give that to him. It's why I pushed him away the morning after he kissed me. Seriously, if you keep doing that, I won't finish. He's sexy and loveable. He's damn near perfect…and it's why I have to let him go."

Miranda nearly had to pick her jaw up off the floor. She'd expected a child-like crush or an urge to tumble in the sheets with him. She hadn't expected a damn near profession of love for the man. She put her head in her hands and sighed. "I…Damn, Reni. I don't know what to do with that."

"Well, you asked." She sank back into her bed. "So, when can I get out of here?"

"Shortly. You just have to eat something and keep it down before we get to leave. You are on R&R for the next 24 hours; Chakwas' orders, so suck it up and enjoy the break. Maybe you should take this time to reassess your opinion on this whole Vega situation."

"Fine. I'll think about it, but I'm not making any promises." She rolled her eyes and cringed. "Hey, don't let me out of here without getting Chakwas to refill my migraine medication. I'm sensing more of those if you keep bugging me about this."

* * *

It'd been two days since the training exercise. Thank God her group had been given this weekend off. She'd have hated to have missed any training days over that stupid stunt. She knew she could handle a solid barrier, but attempting two simultaneously without practicing beforehand had been foolish. When she had finally woken up, Miranda couldn't seem to decide if she was more proud or upset with her. She smirked. _Now if she'd quit picking on me about Vega, it wouldn't be so bad. _In the early morning light from her window, she stretched, allowing the relaxing sensation to creep through her muscles. She yawned and turned on the bedside amplifier she'd rigged to her omni-tool. She flipped through the playlists to a "Lifehouse" album. Reaching up, she grabbed her notebook from atop her bedside table. There was something cathartic about writing down her thoughts. It helped her take inventory and make better sense of it all. She looked back through her notebook at the words she'd written.

_I'm not sure what to do about James. I haven't really seen him since I got out of the med – bay. I know he was there; Miranda told me. Things feel different with him now. I'm not sure if he's gotten past the bar the other night. Hell, I don't even know if I'm past the bar. He kissed me. I know it was as an act, but there for a minute, it felt like he meant it. Nobody's kissed me like that since Kaidan. It was nice. For the first time since Dewayne, it felt like somebody finally kissed me, the real me. It didn't feel like it was someone in love with Chloe. No, it was someone's lips on mine. It was…delicious. Yeah, I'd say it was delicious…definitely repeatable. Maybe it's time I tried to be happy for a change. Shepard's not coming back. It's just me from now on. Miranda says that I've got to get past Chloe, myself. Truthfully, my heart aches at the memories. Kaidan will never know how much I really cared. His eyes look so haunted when she's mentioned; so much of their previous spark is missing. He's in pain. He misses me…no, her. He misses her. She's gone. I can't help that. I'm lucky to even be here._

A knock sounded at her door and she frowned as her stomach growled. She'd skipped breakfast. Maybe Vega had noticed and decided to check on her. Grinning, she bounded over and opened the door. "James, we need to...Oh." Her eyes trailed up the figure at her door. "Major Alenko, how can I help you?" _Since when does Kaidan wear jeans and a t-shirt? I didn't know he even owned clothes without an Alliance logo on them._

He smiled brightly at her and slid his hands in the pockets on the front of his jeans. "I thought I'd stop by to see how you were feeling. May I come in?"

_His eyes aren't as haunted today. He hasn't looked that genuinely happy since back on the Normandy. _She visibly gulped. "Sure, come in." She turned toward and headed back toward her bunk. The door clicked shut behind him, as she sat on the bed. Trying to regain her composure, she stared at her toes as they idly tapped out a rhythm on the floor. _Looks like I need to redo my nail polish. _She felt her bed move slightly as he sat down beside her. Glancing over, she eyed the Major warily as he shifted slightly to face her. "If I may ask, Major, why me? I'm not even in your class of adepts."

He smiled softly. "You overloaded your amp the other day. I've done it before myself, so I know it can take a few days to feel 'normal' again. On top of that, Chakwas mentioned you had complained of migraines while you were with her. I was concerned."

_What's the big deal? It's just a headache…Oh. _She fought the urge to smack her forehead. Of course he would. The man had an L2 implant which gave him chronic migraines. Unfortunately, as Renae, she wasn't supposed to know that. "I still don't see the connection, sir." _Could he quite smiling at me like that already? I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone here._

He leaned closer slightly, causing his leg to lightly brush hers. "I have them, too. I've got an older L2 implant that can be pretty debilitating at times. I wanted to make sure you were ok and see if you needed anything."

She shifted slightly, trying to break the contact. "I'm fine, Major; this is normal for me. I've had them off and on as long as I've had my L5."

Shock registered on his face. "You have an L5? Did you upgrade?" Kaidan reached over and took her hand. "That's a pretty risky procedure. I'm guessing everything came out ok from the looks of it though." His eyes locked on hers.

Her hand felt like it was on fire where their skin touched. _He's holding my hand like he cares. This won't end well. It's not like I can really tell him the truth. Hi, I'm Renae…and also your dead girlfriend. Shit! _She looked down at their hands and back to his eyes, trying not to expose her thoughts. Her words caught in her throat. There was nothing she could say without having to explain more than she could. Her custom amp was no upgrade. She'd only become a biotic as a part of her Avatar training. She startled slightly as she felt his hand lightly rub against hers. _ Earth to Kaidan; I'm not her. I'm just…I missed that twinkle in his eyes. You know, James' eyes do that when. Ah shit; Miranda's right. Does that mean that James does like me? _She felt her heart rate rise and her cheeks flush.

Kaidan tilted his head slightly. "Are you ok? You seem flustered."

Her eyes flashed, realizing how this probably looked to him. _Great! Now he thinks I have a crush on him. Sorry to bust your bubble, babe, but it's just lingering feelings from Chloe. _She exhaled, trying to think of a way out. Fortunately, her knight in shining armor had impeccable timing so it seemed. Her door opened without as much as a knock.

"Rise and shine, Cinderella. You've been in here for two days. Chakwas said you've gotta come out sometime." Vega's eyes roamed across the room, settling on the couple before him. His eyes flashed when he saw their joined hands. His jaw clench tightly as he nodded. "Major, I didn't realize you were here. I didn't mean to interrupt." He shot a look at Renae that nearly shattered her as he turned to go.

_No no no. Please don't misread this. _Pulling her hand from Kaidan's, she stood had to keep herself from bolting after James. He looked back as she stood. Renae walked over and grabbed gently took his hand. "Hey, big guy. You need something?"

He looked down at their hands, confused, before looking her in the eye. "You pinged me about sparring today, remember? You said you didn't want to lie around here all weekend." He raised an eyebrow. "I figured I'd come by and get you. I guess you had something come up, no?" He dropped her hand before crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against the door frame.

_Don't be mad. You just saved me. Hhmm, who know jealousy could look sexy on him? Stop it, Reni. _She jumped up. "No, that's great. I'd nearly forgotten. Hey Major, thanks for checking on me, but I've got to get going." She hurriedly grabbed a bag by her bed. "If you guys will excuse me, I'm going to change. James, if you wanna wait outside, I'll be ready in five."

He stepped aside as Kaidan exited, but stared at her for a moment. "You ok?"

She grinned widely at him. "Yeah. I think I'm gonna be ok. Now get outta here. You've already seen me close enough to naked for one week….and close the door!"

He chuckled as the door clicked shut behind him and leaned against it in the hallway. _"Close enough to naked? Now there's a thought." _He grinned. _"I'm just glad you're awake and alive. Now, if I could just keep Alenko away, things would be great."_

* * *

SPANISH TRANSLATIONS_  
_

_Mierdo = Shit  
_

___Aye, dios mio = Oh my god  
_

___Siento que está herido, mi belleza = I am sorry you're hurt, my beauty  
_

___princesa = princess  
_


	15. Chapter 14: Blue with Jealousy

**Bioware owns the Mass Effect franchise and its characters. Renae's my doppelganger. **

**Thank you for your patience. It's been a little while since I've had a chance to post. Recent illness and death in the family has put my life on hold momentarily. Thanks to Libraborn for keeping me inspired during the ugliest times. You're fan-flippin'-tastic, ma'am!**

**Spanish glossary is at the bottom. Also, I cannot wait for you guys to see Libraborn's story about Zaeed once she posts it. It's gonna rock your world.**

"Vega, would you quit dickin' around and hit me already?" She glared at her sparring partner as he took a weak jab at her. They'd been dancing around like this since they started. He kept ducking and dodging her attacks, but he wouldn't really fight her. Her synthesis markings glowed a dull blue from her frustration.

"What's wrong, _princesa_? You're the one who can't hit me." His eyes sparked. James was trying to piss her off. She'd been damn near catatonic the past two days. Hell, so had he. He'd spent the entire night that she was in the med – bay in the chair beside her bed, holding her hand. Only once had a nurse tried to make him leave, but thankfully, Chakwas had convinced the staff to leave him alone. It made no sense to him. There was no need for her to risk herself like that over a game. Then again, if he could have, he'd probably have done the same damn thing. At the end of the day, they'd kicked ass and taken names, but he still had a hard time shaking that look out of his mind. Her face had looked void of life, except for the blood trailing down across her lips. She'd overloaded her implant trying to protect Kaidan and himself. He leaned back, dodging a hastily thrown right hook from his opponent. "Come on, Renae. Think it through."

Her eyes flickered across the room, following a figure that entered. _That look! Why do her eyes do that? She looks like somebody just ripped her heart out. _His eyes followed hers and flared in disbelief. _She's looking at Alenko? Damn. Is something already going on there?_ Kaidan Alenko stopped and stood across the room with Miranda Lawson; his arms were crossed defensively over his chest as they watched them spar. _Aye, dios mío. You've gotta be kidding me. He's making her nervous? Is that why she acted so flustered this morning?_ She still wasn't focusing on the fight, so he goaded her. "Quit beating yourself up. You took a risk, and at least nobody's dead. It's ok." Her eyes flashed, pride burning behind her irises as she took another swing. He ducked and took a small jab at her ribs. "You're better than this. Concentrate on me. I'm right here."

"Come on, Reni. It's lunch time," called Miranda. "Show him what little girls are made of...Drinks are on me, if you just kick his ass already."

He looked to Renae, who seemed a bit more agitated now that they had an audience. Her markings glowed a more brilliant blue, pulsing in time with her heartbeat. _Finally, she shows some fire! Maybe now she'll actually show up and fight. _Smiling, he tapped his fists together. "Oh, what's the matter? You've already been showing me that you're made of sugar, spice, and everything nice." Her eyes narrowed at him. "You want out of the spotlight?" He nodded toward the on-lookers. "You heard Miranda. You've gotta beat me first," he smirked. "Come on, Cinderella. Dance with me." He winked and took another jab at her shoulder.

She smiled coyly and batted her eyelashes, earning a confused look from Vega. "Oh, James. Didn't they tell you?" A swift left hook caused him to stagger backward. "I'm may be a girl…" A sweep of her right leg took his left leg out from under him, crashing Vega to the floor. "But I'm more spice and less sugar." Kneeling slightly beside him, she kissed her hand and tapped him on the cheek. "Now, if you'll excuse me, there's a margarita with my name on it." she cooed before nearly skipping over to Miranda.

He lay there, speechless on the floor. _Did she just? Yeah, she just kicked my ass and then kissed me. I mean, it was on her hand, but it still counts._ He chuckled as he placed arms along the floor so that his head rested on top of his hands._ She can whoop me anytime._ He lay there, letting his imagination run wild, until a familiar voice snapped him out of his reverie.

"Jimmy boy, you just got your ass handed to you by a girl."

"Scars," he exclaimed, rising to his feet. "I didn't know they let guys as ugly as you into the gym here."

"Oh, they had to. You see, somebody had to stand next to you and make this place look good." His double-timbre laugh was infectious enough that even Kaidan was sort of laughing with them. Garrus reached out and shook Vega's hand. "Say, wanna grab some lunch? I could use a beer."

"Sure, man. I know this sweet little joint around the corner." He glanced over at Kaidan, who was heading away from them. "Hey, Major. Where are you going? Don't you want to come with us? It could be fun."

Kaidan looked up from his data pad. Over the past few weeks, he'd been flipping through old journal entries from before Shepard died. It gave him some comfort in relieving the memories. He'd planned on taking the afternoon to just relax and read. "No thanks, guys. I've got some work to do."

Garrus eyed Kaidan. He knew better; Alenko was depressed. Anybody could see it, but he didn't blame him. If Tali had died, he'd be just as miserable. "Come on, Kaidan. You need to get out once in a while. Besides, I haven't been off base with Jimmy since I got here. Work can wait."

Kaidan glanced at his data pad; Chloe's picture stared back from this particular entry. _I miss you so much, baby. You'd want me to get out and stop moping around, wouldn't you? _He sighed. "Sure. Give me just a minute, and we'll head out."

Vega watched the exchange, knowing there was more unspoken. He could see that Kaidan had been down since Shepard, but he hadn't really looked at the guy much until now. His eyes were hollow. He was here, but only physically. "Good looking out, Scars. He needs this."

"I think we all do at some level, but he does more than most."

"No doubt." His mind lingered back to Renae. She'd had the same look in her eyes when she saw Kaidan. He didn't think those two had known each other long enough to be the cause of one another's sorrow, but maybe Liara was right. There was something there.

* * *

In this part of Rio, it was almost as if the war with the Reapers had not taken place. The sand glistened like diamonds in the midday sun. Families dotted the beach, while the laughter of children filled the air. Condensation glistened and slid down bottles of beer at the cantina. It was a picturesque day to kick back and relax, unless your friends dropped a bomb on you. James was headed back to the table with another round when Garrus proposed a question he hadn't expected.

"Jimmy, so what's this about you having a girlfriend?"

James took a seat at the patio table and did his best to keep calm. He hadn't even mentioned that he cared about Renae to anyone except Liara, and she wasn't one to share details. He popped the top on his beer and took a long drag, looking for words. "Girlfriend? Me? Come on, Garrus. With as hard as you guys are working me in training, you know I don't have time for one. Maybe a one nighter…but nothing serious; that takes a lot of effort." He winked.

"Could've fooled me, Vega, especially with as much time as you spend with Lt. Commander Parker, and then there was that blonde from the bar the other night. She gave the impression that she was your girlfriend."

James leaned back in his chair, grinning sheepishly. _At least they don't know it's the same girl. If I play my cards right, they might not realize it..._Looking down, he was suddenly very interested in the label on the bottle in his hand. "Guys, Renae's just a friend. As for the babe at the bar, ya'll saw that, huh?" He took another swig. "She was something else."

"Saw it? Hell, I had to keep from asking you if she had a sister later. Kaidan could use a date." Garrus laughed, earning an eye roll from Kaidan.

James leaned back in his chair, smirking. _Or maybe I should just have fun with this. _

* * *

Typically, she wasn't one to eavesdrop. Her mom had raised her better than that, and it's not like she had intended to do it this time. Renae had been leaned against the bar, waiting on drinks for her and Tali, when the conversation drifted through the open doorway. _Girlfriend? James has a girlfriend? _Her jaw dropped open and snapped close. _How did I miss that? Ah shit. I pretty much crawled all over him the other night, and that was after calling Red a skank. What does that make me? Wait a just a fucking minute. Why the hell did he kiss me like that if he didn't at least like me? Cabrón's got some nerve._ Renae huffed as she grabbed their drinks and headed back to the table, where Amanda and Miranda were laughing at Liara's Atlas driving abilities. Tali nodded at her approach and slid over in the bench, allowing her a spot to sit. Renae scooted in and took a long drink of her margarita.

"You ok? You look…well, pissed off."

Renae looked over at Tali. She couldn't read her facial features, but it was obvious in her tone; she must look like hell and Tali was worried. The laughter across the table stopped as she began to speak.

"So, if I just heard Garrus correctly, James has a girlfriend," she hissed the words like venom before swirling her glass and taking another drink.

Miranda raised her eyebrow, as she saw Renae's markings glow a dull blue all down her arms, and smirked. "Jealous, love?"

Renae nearly spat out the drink in her mouth before glaring at her. "Are you kidding me? No. Why should I be? I have no reason to care."

"Oh, you know I know better than to believe that. You, my dear, are jealous, and I'm willing to bet a round that you are green with it...well, blue in your case." She winked as glasses clinked between the girls in approval.

Renae rolled her eyes as she looked down at her arms. _Stupid tells…always getting me into trouble._ "You've gotta be kidding me. It's James we're talking about here, remember? Mandy, would you stop looking at me like that? You'd think I had three heads or something."

Amanda snickered. "Come on now. Aside from the fact you just shot flames out of your eyes at the idea of it, I've seen you two together. I've even debated packing nausea medication on missions just to get past the flirting." She high-fived Miranda, earning a groan from Renae as she wiped her hand down her face.

"It's not like that with him. He's…"

"Just a friend? Yeah, and I'm a biotic. You're either blind or you're in denial," interrupted Amanda. "I'm hoping it's just denial, because even a blind man could see how much you two like each other."

She chewed the corner of her lip slightly. She was definitely attracted to the man. How could she not be? He was funny, courageous, and if she'd allow herself to admit it, a body that could stop traffic. She shivered slightly. Yeah, he was definitely appealing…but there was something else. He'd been acting, well, odd recently. He was still his playful self, but there were moments when it almost felt like he was nervous…intimately nervous. She glanced at her hand. The other morning in the cafeteria he'd been that way. She could still feel the phantom circles his thumb had rubbed on her. However, he'd shifted into what almost felt like anger or jealously quickly. _How could he be jealous? It's not as if I'm seeing anyone. I'm not even seeing him for Pete's sake. Could I really be jealous?...Ah, fuck._ She sighed and put her head down before mumbling, "Maybe."

Amanda grinned. "I'll take it! So, Miss Maybe-I-Wanna-Jump-His-Bones…don't look at me like that. It's an obvious statement, I mean…Look at the guy. I don't even play for that team and I'll attest to his hotness. Just hear me out. If you're nervous that he is seeing somebody, go ask him. I say hit on him and see what happens." Miranda clapped her on the back and nodded in agreement.

"You sure? I mean, maybe I heard him wrong or…"

"Maybe you're over thinking it. Just go talk to him. It couldn't hurt." Liara winked at her. "You might surprise yourself."

Renae threw back the rest of her margarita and licked her lips. If she was gonna do this, she'd definitely need all the liquid courage she could get to go through with it.

* * *

"I still say you're holding out on me, Jimmy. You're hiding her somewhere." Kaidan grinned, a little looser after a few rounds. They'd needed a day out like this. He'd been cooped up too long inside the villa with the recruits. It felt good to feel the sand on his feet and the sun in his face. He nudged Vega. "So come on, man. Who is she? Does she have a sister?"

"She? What's this? Does my little buddy have a friend? Awww." Renae slid onto James' right leg, tucking her legs between his and her feet under the table. Grinning fearlessly, she snatched his beer before taking a sip and placing it back in his hand. "What's the matter, Vega? Cat got your tongue?" Her eyes sparkled at him.

_Speak of the devil…Breathe, hombre. It's just a girl on your lap, and it's not like the first time._ His eyes raked along her figured lightly. _How can she make shorts and a tank top look this hot? _James grinned as he took in her words. _So, you now wanna play, princesa? Oh, we'll play alright._ He shrugged. "It's nothing; just some girl from the bar the other night."

Irritation flashed across her eyes and she smirked. "Picking up floosies again, huh? You'd better go see Chakwas before you get sick." Garrus laughed and slapped the table. She leaned in close enough that she could feel the warm radiating off James' body. "So, love, let's have it. Who is this mystery girl? Was she good enough to keep?" She batted her eyelashes as she let her lips pop on the last syllable, drawing a heated smirk from James.

_This is almost too easy. She's playing right into my hands._ He laughed, earning a puzzled look from her. "Well, princess. It's kind of hard to remember because they all blend together after awhile. Kaidan, you saw her. Why don't you refresh my memory?" He fought back a laugh as she scowled briefly before turning to Kaidan.

"Well, Major?"

Kaidan grinned happily. He couldn't get that image out of his head if he tried. He and Garrus had been at the bar that night, swapping stories from the Normandy when this smoking hot blonde had shown up. He'd watched her practically stake out Vega, while sipping a margarita, before throwing herself in his lap. Hell yeah, he'd share it. "Ok, so Garrus and I were at the bar last week, and in walked this bombshell. She cased the place, had a few drinks, and planted herself right in James' lap. She nearly had herself a catfight over it from what I saw. Some redhead almost beat her to him, but she ran the redhead off."

Renae looked at James and rolled her eyes. _She's hot when she's angry. _He grinned and lightly raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to put it together. This was going to be interesting.

"Then, this dude walks up and tries to hit on her, but James manned up and planted one on her. Next thing we know, James is walking out the door with her and this slap happy look on his face."

_She's so jealous that her marks are glowing! She's actually pissed…and at herself. Ha! This is priceless._ James leaned in to Renae's ear. "Cool it, Cinderella. You're throwing daggers with your eyes. Someone might get the wrong idea about you and me." He chuckled softly, earning a glare from Renae.

Eyes burning a deep, biotic blue, she turned toward him, stole a swig of his beer, and whispered, "_Co__ñ__o_….I'll show you the wrong idea." She lightly trailed her fingertips up Kaidan's arm and gently squeezed his bicep, earning an interesting look from everyone at the table. Leaning back slightly toward him, she batted her eyelashes and slightly pouted her lips. "So, Kaidan…What'd this fox look like?"

Slightly flustered, Kaidan stared at her a moment and took another swig of his beer before he continued; he was beginning to wish he'd worn long sleeves because of the way his markings lit up at her touch. "She had long blonde hair in ringlets down her back. It glowed like the sun. Her legs were just incredible...I mean, how could you miss 'em? She was in some silver high heels and this short dark blue dress that flowed like water along the curves of her body. She was beautiful. Vega's a lucky man." He raised his beer and nodded at Vega. His eyes returned to Renae and his jaw dropped. "You ok, Parker? You look ill."

The color had drained from her face. There was no denying it now. Vega's supposed girlfriend…the woman she had gotten jealous over…was herself. Renae opened her mouth to speak, but snapped it shut. Vega chuckled, his body vibrating against her. "So now you know, _princesa_." He nodded to the guys. "I hate to disappoint you, but her appearance was a one-time thing. It never went beyond that kiss at the bar." He held up his left hand at Kaidan's puzzled expression. "I know, but she's special. I walked her home and that was it. Nothing happened."

Kaidan stared at James, jaw gaped open. "Seriously? Nothing. Wow, man…Say, uhm….If you're not going to ask her out, can I?"

Renae stiffened against James. This was definitely not going like she'd planned on. This was…usable. She grinned at Vega. "Yeah, James. How about that? Can he ask her out? I mean, if you're not man enough to go after her, surely Kaidan deserves a shot."

James possessively wrapped his right arm around her waist, earning an odd look from Garrus. _You wanna to play hardball, huh? I've got news for you, Reni. I don't play fair_. He stared at her eyes, unblinking, before answering Kaidan. "Sure. I can see that she's not interested in me anyway." He nodded slightly. Go ahead, Kaidan. Ask her out." Her jaw dropped as a smirk formed along his lips. _What? Not the answer you expected, Cinderella? You want me? Ask me._

"Seriously? Cool." Kaidan grinned brightly. "So, who was she? Did you get her com address?"

She looked at James, eyes wide, trying to see how far he was going to let this go. "James, you're never gonna get a date if you keep giving them away like that."

He gritted his teeth as the marks along his forearm and tattoos flared to life as a dull red. "What? I think it's a great idea, don't you? She made it abundantly clear that she's not interested in me with the way she was eyeballing another man this morning."

She rolled her eyes. "What other guy? Maybe she was frazzled and trying to figure out a way to protect you. Maybe she's got some serious baggage she's dealing with. Did you ever stop to think about that?"

Garrus leaned over to Kaidan. "You ever think we walked into a minefield with this one?" he whispered. Kaidan leaned back in his chair, noticing that even Renae's leg markings were glowing from her apparent irritation with James. Glancing toward Garrus, he nodded slowly and took a sip of his beer.

James' nostrils flared as he retorted. "Oh, really? I think she was too busy checking out a superior officer to even notice me."

"Superior officer? There wasn't one in the room." Her eyes practically hissed at him.

He laughed bitterly, growing tired of playing. "Oh please! She watched him walk in, and I ceased to exist. It's why I'm perfectly ok with him asking her out. She obviously has a thing for him."

She grabbed his face with her hands and stared into his eyes. "You never asked her. If you had, you'd know better." He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped when her lips met his. His arm markings roared a deep red as he gripped her tighter, pulling her upper body flush against his. Her lips were soft, but commanding against his. She deepened the kiss as her right hand trailed from his face down to his chest. Her tongue trailed lightly along his bottom lip, halting at his scar. Gingerly, she nipped his lower lip with her teeth before lightly sucking on it. His hips rolled slightly as he tried to rein himself in, knowing this would end too quickly for his tastes. He groaned when she pulled away; her eyes glowing the same brilliant blue as her marks. Extracting herself from his lap, she grabbed his shoulder as she stood. "Next time, _cabrón, _nut up or shut up." Feeling their eyes on her, she nodded to Garrus and Kaidan before heading back into the bar.

James looked down at his leg where Renae had just been sitting. That made twice now that she'd actually kissed him. He closed his eyes, reliving the fiery look in hers and the feel of her body against him. Knowing he was about to face a firing squad of questions, he cracked open one eye. "What are you two looking at?"

"Renae? The blonde was Renae?" Kaidan balked and sat up straight in his chair. "Just a friend, my ass! I thought you said she had a thing for me, dude? That kiss said anything but that."

Leaning forward with his elbows on the table, Vega sighed and took a swig of his beer. "I still think that, but she's beginning to realize she likes me more."

Garrus laughed before reaching to his right and slapping James on the back. "Hang in there, Jimmy. She'd be lucky to have you. She'll come around."

Kaidan took a drink of his beer and leaned back in his chair as the other two high fived. He hadn't expected that interesting development. The woman he'd eyed at the bar was technically still unattached and from what Vega said, she had a thing for him, too. _She's intelligent, beautiful, and gutsy…She's a lot like Chloe. I'll definitely race you for a shot at her, Vega. May the best man win._

**Spanish Glossary:**

_Aye, dios mío: _Oh my god

_Princesa: _Princess

_Hombre:_ Man

_Cabrón:_ Asshole

_Co__ñ__o:_ Pussy


	16. Chapter 15: Target Practice

**Disclaimer: Bioware owns Mass Effect and all its deliciousness. Renae's my alter ego.**

**Forgive me for the month long hiatus. I just finished the most annoying college course ever made, accounting. Remind me again why I'm a business major please! That being said, it may take me a moment to put out the next few chapters. I've written through 22, however, my storyline was just rewritten in a big, bad, ugly kind of way. It feels right, and I am so stoked. **

**Thank you, Libraborn, for being my ever amazing sounding board and beta read. Please check out her first story about Fem Shep and Zaeed Massani, "Lilies & Whiskey". Her Shepard may be making an appearance here soon. How? Just wait and see. **** Thank you for your kind reviews…They keep me going when I feel like giving up on this. **

"_You can only do so much damage to a punching bag before you start itching for better targets."_ Renae smirked as she took another swing at the punching bag in front of her. It'd been years now, but she could still hear Miranda's words as clearly as if she'd been standing beside her. She'd been afraid to use her biotics after the fiasco that sent Anderson flying into a wall. Renae had spent the next few days, if not weeks, limiting herself to training in the gym and on the gun ranges. Her biotics had been unstable, begging for some hint of release. It'd taken Miranda dragging her down to the biotic range for a dose of reality.

"_You can only do so much damage to a punching bag before you start itching for better targets." She gingerly squeezed her new friend's hand. "Love, this is what you signed up for. I know it's not easy, but nothing worth having is. You're a biotic now. You have to act like one."_

_Pulling away, Renae threw her hands up in the air as dark energy crackled dangerously around her form. Deep blue-gold eyes flashed with irritation. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean? I've been a biotic for maybe a month and a half." Her eyes readily searched Miranda's, hoping to find a fight. Her body ached with the need to feel alive again. She was tired of walking around like an emotional zombie every day. Finding only a look of resigned understanding, she crossed her arms over her chest defensively and leaned against the wall behind her. An exasperated huff was the only noise she made as Miranda watched, waiting for reason to regain its hold. Renae blinked rapidly when her eyes began to water from her emotional outburst. She knew she was throwing a fit like a two year old…and that Miranda deserved an actual explanation. Hanging her head, she sighed. "Look…I don't know how you guys do this. I mean…I nearly broke Anderson's bones because I made one wrong motion with my hand. How am I supposed to use this ability without hurting someone?_

"_It takes finesse. You'll learn…but only if you let yourself." She pointed to the far end of the range they stood at. "See those crates?"_

_Renae rolled her eyes slightly. "Yeah, what of it?"_

_Miranda smirked and raised her eyebrows slightly. "Wipe them off the planet."_

_Renae's eyes widened, angrily. "Are you fucking kidding me?" She huffed. "That's not control. That's excessive force."_

"_You have to see what you're capable of or else you will be afraid to move, kid. Just trust me. Wipe 'em out." Resigned that Miranda wouldn't let this go, Renae closed her eyes briefly, allowing a wave of blue biotics to cover her form. "That's it. Just lose yourself for once. Know what you can do." She smiled as Renae opened her eyes; their usual blue-gold color intensified greatly with the surge of dark energy. _

_Renae's eyes flicked nervously over her own form, realizing the sensation was visible as the dark energy licked across her uniform and bare skin. She swallowed harshly. "Now what?"_

_An amused smile flitted Miranda's face. "Do what feels right. Just take out your target."_

_Renae exhaled slowly before throwing out her right arm and releasing a Heavy Shockwave toward the crates. They exploded, throwing up tiny bits of shrapnel and sawdust. Her eyes widened at the release of energy. "Did I just?..."_

"_Definitely." She grinned broadly as Renae's face lit up. "How's it feel to be a badass?" She winked at her apprentice._

_Renae's eyes sparkled with excitement as she looked back at Miranda. "Damn good."_

"_Excellent. Just remember, love, that this is what you signed up for. There's no turning back now."_

"_Right…No turning back." Her eyes narrowed briefly as she took in the double-meaning of what Miranda said. "So maybe it's time I stop fighting against this and learn to use it. I mean, what good is a talent if it's wasted?"_

"_Precisely my point. Now, let's try something a little more stylistic. I'll teach you how to use Singularity for target practice." She grinned at the look on Renae's face. "Don't think I haven't noticed how much you've taken to using a sniper rifle. You're going to love this."_

"Miranda's right," she huffed as she spun, throwing one last roundhouse kick at the bag in front of her. The resounding thwack reverberated within the empty gym. She sat down on the bench in the corner and gingerly began removing the tape from her hands. She'd been hiding down here ever since she bolted from the bar. Her nerves were on edge, so much so that she could practically feel her biotics humming at a higher frequency. She stretched out the fingers on her right hand and allowed the familiar wave of dark energy to wash over it. A soft smirk crossed her lips. After all this time, it still reminded her of blue flames…the hottest and most dangerous she had ever seen. If she took one step near another biotic right now, they'd be able to feel how jittery she was without even trying. What she really needed was a way to release her pent up energy, and in her current predicament, there was only one way to do it. She grabbed her gym bag and threw it over her shoulder before heading to the door, mumbling to herself. "Yeah…yeah…I know. Let's go work out some tension."

* * *

The range was quiet in the afternoons, especially with most of the recruits off base on leave. It gave her time to think, to process what a bone-headed move she'd made earlier that day. _Never show all your cards. Reni, you're an idiot…a grade A idiot._ It'd been bad enough to have that little argument in front of Garrus and Kaidan. Unfortunately for her, the situation had snowballed from there. Thanks to her lack of tact, James was now more than aware of her growing feelings for him. She huffed upward slightly, trying to move the bangs that clung to her forehead from sweat. They remained in place, as stubborn as ever. _Just like me…too fucking stubborn. One of these days, that's going to get me into trouble. Sometimes, I've got to quit being such a damn control freak and just let things go. I mean, I practically hit on Kaidan just to get information about somebody Vega was with…and then it was me! _Her teeth ground slightly together as she remembered how Kaidan's markings had lit up when she touched his arm. _Definitely a bad move. What if he thinks I like him now? I've been working so hard on letting him go. Besides, Kaidan has enough trust issues. He'd blow a gasket if he realized who I really am, and we'd be right back where we were after Horizon. I won't put up with that level of distrust again. _She ran her hand up over her face, brushing her damp bangs backward toward her ponytail in frustration.

Renae advanced toward her lane in the biotic range, trying to figure out a decent approach for target practice. She smirked as she put her hands down to her sides and let the dark energy wash over her body. Sizing up a stack of crates at the far end, she threw out a Heavy Shockwave in their direction. Her markings throbbed in time with her heartbeat as she held her breath, waiting for the impact. Her satisfied cry rang through the air when the crates shattered into pieces and dust.

"Target practice? I'm guessing your talk with James didn't go so well, huh?" Miranda leaned against the wall behind her; her eyes shadowed with concern. She walked closer and wrapped her arm around Renae's shoulder. "I figured it went sour when you didn't come back. What happened?"

Renae looked down at her hands and balled them into crackling, blue fists. "Sour is an understatement. I kissed him." She glanced solemnly at Miranda with a half-smile on her face. .

Miranda raised her eyebrow. "Kissed him? Sounds like it went well to me." She nudged Renae playfully with her elbow.

"Nope…I kissed him to shut him up. It turns out that Kaidan and Garrus saw me at the bar the other night, but thankfully, they didn't recognize me. Kaidan only knew that James left with a blonde girl, but he described her outfit…It was the one you bought me." Her eyes flickered; the gold within them sparked like embers of a fire. "James just sat there grinning the whole time, like he was waiting for me to freak out and run." She paused and rolled her eyes at the memory. "We wound up butting heads because he's got this ridiculous idea that I'm interested in Kaidan and not him. He was practically telling Kaidan to ask me out, 'Randa,…so I kissed him. I didn't know what else to do."

Renae sighed, hanging her head. Maybe she just needed time to sort this entire mess out. Hopefully in a few days, they'd all forget about it and things would go back to normal. She huffed and shook her head. _Stop fooling yourself. You really stepped in it this time._ She turned around and headed back toward the wall. Sliding down, she took a seat on the ground and leaned her head against the wall in a soft thud. She pulled her knees up to her chest, and crossed her arms on top of them. "I really messed this up, Miranda. Honestly, I don't need to date him. I need to just be his friend for now. Maybe it was the alcohol that was talking. I don't know. I just…I can't deal with this right now. I've still got to get used to waking up as me." She rested her chin on her forearms.

Miranda sat down next to her and placed her hand on Renae's left arm. "Reni, we knew this was going to be a tough transition. Going from life as Shepard to just you has been a whirlwind of sorts. It's going to take some time. Maybe you need to take the time to be yourself; just focus on training and put this whole Vega/Kaidan thing on the backburner. Let's get your N7 commendation, and then we'll deal with boys and their appeal or lack thereof."

Renae peered up at her, feeling much younger than she was. It felt good to have a reassuring figure around her. It'd been awhile. Technically, she was older than anyone here, but she definitely didn't feel it. Time had stopped for her in cryo. She'd lost everyone she loved, some even before then. A soft sigh escaped her lips as tears welled up in her eyes. "I wish…I wish my mom was here, even though she'd tell me the same damn thing. I just…I feel like I missed out on a lot, and it all started when I woke up. I mean, I'd lost Dewayne and Dad. It was brutal. At least as Chloe, I was able to put on a Band-Aid on the whole fucking thing and deal with it. Now the Band-Aid is gone, and…fuck, I feel lost. I mean," she exhaled slowly, "Don't get me wrong, I like James. Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without him around sometimes. He makes me feel alive again. I haven't felt that way since Dewayne after Mom died…not even with Kaidan, but I need to find me again…to remember who I was, and to forge who I am. This is all so new to me; I just need time." She leaned her head over onto Miranda's shoulder.

"Hang in there, love. I'm here with you. We'll get through this together. Just promise me something…"

Renae looked up, wiping her eyes. "What?"

"When you and Vega have kids, I want you to name one after me." She laughed as Renae gasped and punched her in the shoulder. "Ok, ok. Come on, that was funny and you know it."

* * *

James steadied himself as he placed his hand on Liara's door. She'd messaged his omni-tool shortly after he'd returned to the villa, sounding as cryptic as ever. He figured it had something to do with the picture he'd found in "their book". He half-smiled as he shook his head. He'd taken to thinking of it as that since it seemed that somehow Renae and Chloe shared ownership of it. _Renae…_His body tensed at the thought of her. Lunch with the guys had been…interesting. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, remembering the feel of her lips against his. One of these days, they'd have to quit dancing around each other and fess up. _Mierdo…I used to be smoother than this with women. Why does this one chica have me tied up in knots? Dios mío, Uncle E would get such a kick out of this if he were here right now. _He stood back from the door when he heard movement inside. _Let's hope Liara's found something to help me make sense of this mess._ Not bothering to knock, he pushed open the door and walked into her make-shift office. "Ok, Doc. What did you find out?"

Liara was practically glowing with excitement when she glanced up from her desk at him. She smiled at James as she gestured to chair in front of her. "James, you may want to have a seat for this one." Her eyes narrowed momentarily at his slightly flustered and edgy demeanor.

He slowly pulled out the chair and sat down. Something didn't feel right. Liara normally didn't look so…excited. She damn near looked giddy. He leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table, and folded his hands together under his chin. "Aight, I'm sitting. What's going on?"

She paused, and looked down at her hands, as though looking for the words to say. It didn't make sense for the Shadow Broker to be speechless. James tensed when he saw a look of concern cross her face. "I need you to have an open mind about this. It's not very often that I find systems which are hard for me to break into, but this one…this situation has me intrigued."

He raised an eyebrow in question. "Ok?"

"The picture you found was this one, correct?" She turned a monitor toward him. He nodded. "From what I can tell, this picture was taken somewhere around 2005."

His rolled his eyes and snorted in disbelief. "That's over 180 years ago, Liara…Seriously, when was it taken?"

Liara smiled at James sympathetically. "Believe me when I say that is the real timeline, Vega. In fact, it would appear that our Renae Parker was born to a Marcus Parker and a Jean Shepard Parker back in 1985. She was engaged to a Captain Dewayne Knight in 2012." She paused as he inhaled sharply. Her eyes looked up in anticipation. "I know that it's a lot to take in, but forgive me, James. There's more to this story."

His jaw dropped momentarily before he snapped it shut. _Seriously?_ _Look, I know you're the Shadow Broker and crazy intelligent, but you expect me to accept this bola de locos_? His eyes rapidly flicked between hers; looking for a catch, but found none. He swallowed harshly and nodded for her to continue.

"Her mother passed away in 2008. During that time, a Prothean disc was discovered on Earth. Unfortunately, this predated the First Contact War, so the humans were unaware of other species, like the Protheans. What they did realize was the disc brought forth images of a doomsday scenario to anyone who touched it. Some even lost their minds and were institutionalized. A group called the United Nations formed a task force to create a defense against the possible threat that was seen. Dr. Marcus Parker was brought in to head that group under the code name Project Avatar. The program tapped Earth's current military branches for possible candidates. It appears Renae signed up for this program, along with Captain Knight. However, this is where things took a strange turn." Her eyes lit up briefly. "It looks as though he was dismissed from the program. I was able to uncover that he went on to marry someone else in 2016. There are even records that he died many years later. What's puzzling is that there are not any records of Renae after 2013. She was listed as M.I.A from that point on; there's not even a death certificate. It's as if she just disappeared…until now."

James sat there in silence. He'd been skeptical before, but now he was flat out confused. _So Doc's sure that it's the same Renae…If that's the case, then how could someone born that long ago still be around here today?_ _She should be dead by now._ He shook his head before placing it in his hands. He had to admit, it kinda fit, as fucked up as it was. _She'd been engaged…It could definitely explain why she's so dodgy about dating and that weird comment she'd made about protecting me and baggage earlier. She does make weird jokes sometimes that seem completely out of our time period. Hell, the only other person I know with jokes that out-of-date is…No._ He looked up. "Liara, you said she was involved in this Project Avatar thing. What exactly was it?"

Liara smiled knowingly. "I was waiting for you to ask that. The project was highly classified; although it appeared nearly abandoned in a proverbial cave of firewalls. What I know is limited, but it's something to start with." She took a deep breath before continuing. "Its purpose was to create super soldiers, indestructible super soldiers actually. From the videos and data I've been able to piece together, it looks like candidates were highly trained soldiers from all over Earth. In theory, applicants were cryogenically preserved, only to be reanimated at a time when their world needed them. Most of the candidates were turned away or reawakened without being utilized, and sent to resume as normal a life as possible. It appears Renae Parker may be the only candidate who was used or at the very least who survived after all those years in cryo. The plans I found show no one was supposed to be left untouched for as long as she was. It almost seems that the project was forgotten until a research team found it back around 2180."

He exhaled through his nose, trying to think calmly about this. "So she's some super-powered soldier from the past?"

Liara's brow scrunched lightly as she began to shake her head. "No, not exactly. While yes, she was put through training to become one herself, it was only so that she could properly control her Avatar."

"What's that?"

"From what I understand, it's akin to an organic version of EDI's body. Based on the subject's specifications, a second body was created. The subject could then connect to and control this body via a host/parasite type relationship. The blueprints for these bodies, or Avatars, were saved, so that if one was destroyed, the body could be rebuilt. The host would be basically unharmed, so in essence, it would allow a super soldier to be resurrected from the dead…repeatedly. Now do you see why I'm looking for more details?"

His jaw dropped. This was something straight out of a science fiction movie. "That's…that's _loco_. Why would someone give up their life like that?"

Liara smiled at his reaction. "You've given up yours to fight for the greater good as a soldier. She just gave up hers in a more radical way."

James opened his mouth, but closed it quickly. Slowly he shook his head. "It's not the same, Doc. You know what I mean…Look…so, she's here now. How is that possible? Did they not use her?"

She held up a hand slowly at his questions. "I'm still trying to piece together the rest of the puzzle, so to speak. However, I did find some videos as a part of these files. I wanted you to see them."

His eyes glued to her monitor as it flicked to life. It was Renae, although a very tired one.

"_I am First Lieutenant Renae Parker of the United States Army, 75__th__ Ranger Division. Today is December 31, 2013. They've asked me to make this log like a journal, so here it goes. Last night, I said goodbye to my family. Today, Captain Dewayne Knight and I showed up for processing into Project Avatar. I'll be heading to cryo after this…not sure when I'll wake up." Her eyes glossed slightly as she lightly chewed at the corner of her lip. "I really suck at good-byes. Last night was possibly one of the hardest things I've ever done. Telling a control freak to let go is an ugly notion. I mean, I still wonder if everything will be ok with me gone. I guess it won't matter in a few hours though, huh? The choice will be out of my hands." She sighed and looked down. A quiet sniffle raked through her. "Dad, if you see this, know that I love you. You're my best friend, and I admire you so much. Don't stop living when I'm gone, ok? You know Mom wouldn't want that for you and neither do I. Thank you for believing in me and letting me do this." She gently rubbed her eyes, wiping away the beginnings of tears. She continued, but her tone became more bittersweet. "Oh, don't forget to feed the dogs. I set a daily reminder on your calendar since I won't be there to call you." She chuckled sadly. "Told you I'd find a way to boss you around after I left." She looked down momentarily and inhaled slowly before looking up again. Unconsciously, she tucked a stray bit of bangs behind her ear. "Dewayne, honey…If you wake up before I do, wait for me. I love you." She looked off camera. "Do you need anything else? Good…well then, let's get this over with." The camera flicked out._

James sat there staring at the screen in front of him, not believing what he just saw. _Her voice is different. It sounded like a girl I dated once from Mississippi. That was cute, different, but cute. Why's she sound so much like…Miranda now? _He sat there in silence, unsure what to say or even think. _She has literally given up her entire life for the sake of this program. She is here, well over a century out of her time apparently; not letting anything stop her. She has to be the strongest person I know._ He turned his attention back to Liara and shook his head. "I…I don't know what to say."

Liara's eyes met his. "Unfortunately, I still don't, and I've already seen the video multiple times myself. I found more logs like this, from after she woke up. She was scared in a lot of them at first, but pushed through with steely determination. One of them was a bit more amusing; watch."

His eyes flicked back to the screen. Anderson stood across the room from Renae. Somewhere off camera, a woman told Renae to hand Captain Anderson a pencil using only a biotic lift. _Was that Miranda's voice? It sounded a lot like her. Wait, a pencil?_ He raised his eyebrow, trying to figure out why this seemed so familiar.

"Keep watching. From what I have been able to find out, she'd only had her implant for a week when this happened."

_Only had her implant a what? She became a biotic for this program? That's fucking loco! _Shocked at this revelation, he nearly glued his eyes to the screen as she tried to use a biotic lift and instead threw a shockwave at Anderson, flinging him into the wall behind him. Hackett stepped in and helped the man to his feet before applauding her. _No fucking way…_He swallowed. "Liara, what did you say Renae's mother's name was?"

"Jean Shepard Parker."

_Her mother's name was Shepard…That's too close for coincidence now. _"Liara, I may have forgotten to mention something."

He saw her eyes dance with chance of new information. "Go ahead, James."

He licked his lips, trying to find the words. "When I was guarding Shepard during her trial, Hackett and Anderson told me a story about her. They said the first time Chloe tried to lift a pencil to Anderson, she threw him into a wall." He ran his fingers gently back and forth over his lips, trying to find something to concentrate on other than the question he was holding back.

"You think Renae's Avatar was Shepard." Liara smiled at him knowingly. "I came to the same conclusion."

He looked at her. "Honestly, yeah…I think I do. From what you're telling me, showing me, and what I know, it makes sense, no? I just…damn. It makes sense. Of course she'd stare at Kaidan like her goddamn soul's on fire; she was in love with him on the Normandy." His fist smacked down on her table. "Here I am, throwing a fit at her, and she's trying to adjust to finding herself again. God, I've gotta be the biggest _cabrón_ on this entire fucking base."

Liara could feel self-irritation rolling off of him. She placed her hand on James' arm in understanding. Despite what he might think, he was actually taking this much better than she could have anticipated. "James, you do realize we can't tell her we know."

He looked up with concern in his eyes. "But, it would fix things. I mean, she wouldn't have to hide. She could relax and not feel alone in all this."

Liara shook her head. "She's not. Hackett knows. Anderson knew, and James…Miranda was on some of the videos; you heard her voice on the last one. I believe Miranda helped build Renae's Avatar. It would make sense. She works in the Alliance's R & D area, which is where they have Renae's job set at. She had the cover at Cerberus in the Lazarus Project. Think about it. It fits. Miranda knows."

_Of course she does; those two are damn near inseparable. Maybe Renae got so used to hearing Miranda that she began to sound like her, too. It would explain the accent change at least. Guess that means the whole "Uncle Hackett" line was a crock of crap then, but hey, she has to maintain her cover._ He exhaled, feeling some of the weight come off of his shoulders. "So, looks like after all this time, I'm still falling for Chloe, huh?" He tried to laugh, but it fell flat.

He heard the smirk in Liara's voice. "Actually, I think you've been falling in love with Renae the whole time. You were able to walk away from Chloe. Ask yourself, could you walk away from Renae?"

He thought back. Loving Chloe had been work. She'd been concentrated on the mission, and when it wasn't that, she was so engrossed in Kaidan that it hurt to look at them. When Liara had convinced him to let her go, he actually felt freer. Renae…he'd fallen for her without trying. It'd been as natural as breathing. He hadn't realized it, not really…not until that red sand user hit on her in the bar the other night. Then with Kaidan at lunch today…He grumbled slightly, earning an odd look from Liara. "No, and honestly, I don't want to. I think…" He exhaled, trying to gather his thoughts. "I think I'm falling in love with her, Doc. I mean, hearing and seeing all this _mierdo_, it just makes me understand her and respect her more. She's self-sacrificing. I don't think I could do that, ever…" He rose abruptly from his chair. "I need to talk to her. I've gotta take back what I said earlier today. I was being a dick then and trying to make her admit her feelings, but it was stupid. I'm not ok with it. I won't let him have her." He cracked his knuckles and closed his eyes briefly, while mumbling quietly to himself in Spanish.

Liara raised an eyebrow in question. "Him?"

James's eyes sparked as he glanced back toward Liara; distress evident in his features. "Kaidan. She was actually acting jealous about this supposed girlfriend I have, but it was her they were talking about. I damn near threw her at Kaidan and then got angry with her for liking him. I'm a fucking _idioto._"

Liara exhaled abruptly and shook her head. "Breathe, James. You didn't realize what was going on inside her head. How could you? Perhaps you should give her time. Simply be there for her, like we were for Chloe. She's probably having a hard time getting used to being herself again. She'll adjust in time. "

He smiled softly, and the more he thought about it, the more it grew. "You know, Doc. I think you're right. Garrus nearly said the same damn thing. If a friend is what she needs right now, I can do that. I just won't lose her again."

* * *

He didn't even have to look when she walked into the meeting later. He recognized the familiar hum of her biotics immediately. James exhaled quietly as she pulled out the chair beside him and sat down. His eyes glanced softly over her form. She'd changed since he'd last seen her. A tight black t-shirt and BDUs led down to her black combat boots. He snickered quietly. "Hey, Cinderella. Still have both of your shoes, I see."

She rolled her eyes and nudged his bicep with her elbow. "Of course. What do you take me for? I'm not some princess who leaves her shoe behind for just anybody." She laughed softly as others began to file into the room. Amanda entered, followed by Garrus, Kaidan, and Miranda. Amanda's eyes met Vega's over Renae's head, and she winked while flashing a quick thumbs-up.

He chuckled at both of them. It was good to hear Renae laugh again. Hell, it was even better to see her smile and that sparkle. Finally, after all this time, her eyes sparkled when she looked at him. _Hell yeah! Score one for me, Alenko. Sucks to be you, hombre._ He gently nudged her back. "So, we're ok, right? I mean, I'm sorry if I upset you earlier. I was just…"

"Jealous?" She stuck her tongue out before smiling. Her lips twitched slightly to the right before she spoke. "Yeah, we're good. I'm sorry that I overreacted. I dunno what came over me. Jealousy's not exactly a good color on me either."

He winked. "No, but it was hot." He grinned as she stepped on his foot lightly. "Get mad all you want, but I'm right."

She blushed slightly at his words. He eyed her intently, until she returned his gaze. "Why are you lookin' at me like that?"

His eyes flicked from hers down to her markings that were pulsing lightly. An amused chuckle rumbled in his chest. "You look flustered. You ok?"

She opened her mouth and closed it swiftly. Her eyes moved toward the door as another person entered. "_Aye, dios mio_, James. Just shut it and pay attention for once. Hackett just walked in, _pendejo_."

He snickered. "Aye, aye, ma'am." She was right. He needed to focus. They'd been prepping for this mission for weeks. This was the final meeting before they headed out for Mars. He snuck a final glance at her. Her arms sat folded against the table just beneath her breasts. Her black t-shirt clung to her form like a second skin. Her hair was pulled up in a quick knot on her head, but the loose tendrils framed her face in a sensual way. _Fuck, even in her fatigues, she's foxy._ He fought back a slight groan. Yeah, if they were going to be just friends for awhile, he needed this mission just to blow off some steam.

* * *

Her grey t-shirt and black running shorts hung heavily against her in the humidity clinging to the air. The heavy club beat coming from her omni-tool reverberated in the enclosed space of the bathroom. Hastily, she wiped her hand along the mirror, clearing the condensation. Her long hair hung damply around her face in curls. She frowned. _I'll have to straighten that tomorrow if it dries like this. _A half-smile flitted across the right side of her face as she dug her toothbrush out of her bag. She'd purposefully gotten ready for bed early tonight in hopes of not bumping into anyone in the showers. Having community bathrooms had never been her favorite thing. She'd dreaded them so much, that back in college, she'd purposefully picked a dorm with suite bathrooms instead. She closed her eyes at the thought. Those years in Memphis, TN were so long ago. She didn't even know if the city still existed. She missed the nightclubs, the food,…the pulse of the city. She'd sang at so many coffee shops and dive bars that she could no longer keep count. At least it'd paid the bills while she was in school. _I miss my music. At least I've still got this stash on my omni-tool. Now I just have to find an outlet for it. Singing into my toothbrush isn't really rewarding._ The song changed, earning an impish grin from Renae. She shook her hips lightly to the music as she brushed her teeth. She leaned, spitting her toothpaste into the sink, and rinsed out her mouth. Her body tensed when she registered movement in the mirror over her head.

"And here I thought you only danced in public, _princesa._"

She inhaled sharply before laughing. "Seriously, Vega. How does somebody your size sneak up on people? You nearly scared the crap outta me." She turned to face him and felt her cheeks flush. He'd apparently been at the gym, and was now clad in workout pants and a sleeveless shirt. She swallowed harshly, trying to will fluids back into her suddenly dry mouth.

"I can't help it that you're listening to music louder than most teenagers." His eyes flicked to her omni-tool. "You lose your headphones or something?"

She hurriedly tapped at her omni-tool to re-sync it to the small com-link in her right ear, thankful for the distraction. "Yeah, sorry about that. I don't trust my com-link in the shower, so I just used my omni-tool." She paused, feeling his eyes on her. "Can I help you with something?"

His eyes graced over her form and a small smirk crossed his lips. "Nope. Just enjoying the view."

She glanced down at her grey special ops t-shirt and black shorts. Her eyes sparkled as she looked back at him. "I could say the same, but at least I don't smell like the gym." She crinkled her nose and laughed lightly as his pained expression.

"Ouch, _chica_."

"Here, let me get outta your way. Wouldn't want to keep you from getting clean for your entourage." Winking, she grabbed her bag of toiletries and headed for the door. Glancing back, she shook her head at his puzzled expression. "What? Don't tell me that I'm the only female on base who's checked out your assets, Vega." Heading out the door, she called over her shoulder. "See you in the morning, big guy."

James stood there, grinning to himself. "She just admitted to checking me out…Didn't she?"

* * *

His head hit the pillow with a smile on his face for the first time in days. Tomorrow, they were heading to Mars to infiltrate a Cerberus base and steal their data cache. It turned out that Cerberus had been planning attacks on areas with high groupings of "left-behinds" now that they were all stranded on Earth together. Honestly, it made no sense to him. They should be learning to get along…make the best of the situation. At least they'd all survived the war with the Reapers…well, except for Shepard. Although, if what Doc said was true, she was still here. _If…ha. I know that's her. Nothing else makes sense. _He exhaled softly as he closed his eyes. Tomorrow was definitely looking like it would be an exciting day. He just had to get some sleep first.

Within an hour later, his omni-tool pinged to life with a message. He cracked an eye, trying to justify if it was worth answering. The sender's name made his heart race.

_R. Parker: You asleep?_

_No. I was inspecting my eye lids for holes, princesa. It's late. Of course I'm asleep. _He rolled his eyes playfully before answering.

_J. Vega: I was. Can't very well answer you in my sleep. I mean I'm talented, but that's pushing it even for me._

_R. Parker: Yeah…Sorry about that. Just couldn't sleep. I was thinking about the mission._

_J. Vega: It'll be ok. Just close your eyes and try it. Count fluffy animals or something._

_R. Parker: I used to have a puppy who was pretty fluffy…a long time ago. She was amazing…I think you'd have liked her._

He raised an eyebrow at the notion. _Puppies? She must be fighting sleep hard if she's talking about puppies._

_J. Vega: Yep. I'm a dog magnet…You sure are chipper at 2300, you know that?_

_R. Parker: I never took you for a guy who's asleep at 2300._

_J. Vega: Back home, I'm usually not. ;) Unfortunately, we're not home or else I'd prove it to you._

_R. Parker: Smartass…_

He glanced over at the clock and frowned. He knew something was bothering her or else she'd be asleep. He'd just have to pry it out of her.

_J. Vega: What's bothering you, princesa? Don't try and tell me it's nothing, or else I'm coming down there._

_R. Parker: Ooooh. I'm so scared. Bring it, big guy._

_J. Vega: Ok, but when you're cold at 0200, remember I warned you that I'm a blanket hog._

_R. Parker: …You're serious aren't you?..._

_J. Vega: Chica, when I commit to something, I fully commit._

_R. Parker: No dice, LT. I fold on this one._

_J. Vega: Aw…You're no fun. Guess that means you'll have to tell me what's bothering you after all._

_R. Parker: Geeze, Vega…Fine. I'm nervous about tomorrow. I mean, this op is huge. I know it's just data gathering, but still. It's a two team operation that involves a lot of senior officers…I'm glad it's you taking point instead of me._

_J. Vega: You'll do fine. Anybody gets too close, and you can just scare them to death with your taste in music._

_R. Parker: Hey! Don't knock Demi Lovato….I only like maybe one of her songs._

_J. Vega: See? No clue who that is. You'll terrify them._

_R. Parker: Cabrón…You leave my music out of this, and I'll make sure no one touches your six tomorrow…deal?_

_J. Vega: Oh, you can touch that anytime. ;)_

_R. Parker: I swear…You're 13 or something…just abnormally huge for your age._

_J. Vega: Wouldn't you like to know?_

_R. Parker: Seriously? *face palm* Go back to bed, ya perve…or else I'll come torture you with my "bad taste in music." _

_J. Vega: I'm shaking in my boxers._

_R. Parker: So did not need that visual._

_J. Vega: But you know you liked it…Seriously though, get some sleep. Can't have my right hand lady falling asleep on the job tomorrow._

_R. Parker: You, too, Jimmy Boy...thanks._

_J. Vega: Anytime, princesa…anytime._

**Spanish Glossary**

_Aye, Dios Mío_ = oh, my god

_Cabrón_ = asshole

_Princesa_ = princess

_Pendejo_ = jackass

_Mierdo_ = shit

_Loco _= crazy

_Idioto_ = idiot

_Hombre_ = man

_Bola de locos _= bowl of shit

_Chica _= girl_  
_


End file.
